


Can I Scam You?

by dirty_fire_hydrant67



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alzheimer's Disease, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Family, Flowers, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Humor, I swear, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse, Slow Burn, flower symboism, its mostly happy, kyoutani kentarou is bad at feelings, not for a major character, very very breifly, yahaba shigeru is also bad at feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:27:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirty_fire_hydrant67/pseuds/dirty_fire_hydrant67
Summary: “Well, can I scam you instead then?” Oh ho ho. Perhaps this guy is more fun than his previous gruffness had led Yahaba to believe.“You’re asking if you can scam me?” He asked, hopping up onto the counter so he could swing his legs idly.“Yes.”“You’re welcome to try.”“You need to open your computer.”“Yeah you see, I just really don’t feel like doing that right now.”“Fine. I’ll call you tomorrow then.”“Who says I’ll answer tomorrow. My grandma certainly won’t.”“You answered today.”“...Touche.”“I’ll call you tomorrow.” The line disconnected before Yahaba could say anything else. He pulled the phone away from his ear and looked down at it. He just barely caught the 1-800-XXX-XXX before the little screen blinked off.or Yahaba answers a scam call and gets more than he bargained for.
Relationships: Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru
Comments: 88
Kudos: 178





	1. Answer Your Phone, Grandma

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cowbell52](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowbell52/gifts).



> I got this idea from a tumblr post about answering scam calls.

Tuesday, April 12th 6:47 pm

“Grandma, your phone is ringing,” Yahaba called from the living room.

“So.” She called back from the open french doors.

“So, you need to answer it.” He shouted back.

“I don’t need to do anything.” She argued

“Okay fine, but you should. The general expectation with phones is that you answer them.” He clamoured.

“Well, if we keep having this conversation it’ll be too late anyway.” He could see her shrug at him from where she was in the garden, pruning her anemones. Her long, grey hair was thrown in a messy bun and her overalls were covered in dirt and grass stains.

“Fine, I’ll get it.” Yahaba tried to keep his dignity while he jumped up from the table where he was hunched over, studying and trotted across the room to the landline, but the shrill screeching of the device probed his nervous system like jumper cables. It had rung at least five times now and it surely wouldn’t continue for much longer. Finally reaching the counter where it lived, he retched it out of the port and pressed the answer button before he could read the number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, how are you doing today?” The guy on the other end said in that signature fake and cheery voice anyone who has worked a shitty job knows. 

“...Great.” He answered.

“Good. I’m calling because your IP address has been compromised. I can help you fix the problem if you would just go onto your computer for me.” Yahaba had to bite his lip so he didn’t laugh into the receiver. 

“Okay, but there is one thing I am wondering though.” Yahaba pressed.

“What?” The guy bit out.

“You really couldn’t think of a better lie?” The other end of the line went silent. Yahaba debated just waiting for the guy to answer but, he decided to just continue instead. 

“I mean really? My IP address is compromised? How would that even happen?” Silence continued to be the only thing on the other end of the phone. So naturally, he kept poking.

“I’m just curious is all,” Yahaba added. 

“Why didn’t you just hang up?” The guy demanded.

“Huh?”

“If you knew this was a scam why didn’t you just hang up.” This guy might have a good customer service voice, but he really needed the work on his phrasing. Yahaba could practically see this guy's veins pop out as his irritation oozed through the phone. 

“Because I wanted to have some fun at your expense.” Normally Yahaba, as the proper and polite man he is, would never be so brash, but he’d never talk to this guy again so he figured he could let his reputation slide just this once. 

“What expense?” The guy questioned.

“Well, you’re currently not accomplishing your goal.” Yahaba insisted.

“What goal?” Seriously does this guy know how to say more than two words?

“Your goal of scamming my elderly grandmother. You aren’t accomplishing that. I’d call that an expense.” Yahaba explained.

“Well, can I scam you instead then?” Oh ho ho. Perhaps this guy is more fun than his previous gruffness had led Yahaba to believe. 

“You’re asking if you can scam me?” He asked, hopping up onto the counter so he could swing his legs idly. 

“Yes.” The guy answered confidently.

“You’re welcome to try.” Yahaba teased. 

“You need to open your computer.” The guy urged.

“Yeah you see, I just really don’t feel like doing that right now.” Yahaba taunted, leaning back against the cabinets behind him.

“Fine. I’ll call you tomorrow then.” The guy insisted.

“Who says I’ll answer tomorrow. My grandma certainly won’t.” Yahaba questioned.

“You answered today.” The guy pointed out.

“...Touche.” Yahaba wouldn’t have if he’d looked at the caller ID.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” The line disconnected before Yahaba could say anything else. He pulled the phone away from his ear and looked down at it. He just barely caught the 1-800-XXX-XXX before the little screen blinked off. 

“Well who was it that so desperately needed me to answer, my darling Shigeru?” His Grandma asked, laying her freshly cut anemones on the counter beside him.

“Hmm,” Yahaba glanced down at the dinky landline still in his hand. “Maybe someone interesting.” 

Wednesday, April 13th 4:57 pm

“Kyoutani! Get it together.” Yahaba shouted across the gym to where Kyoutani had just stolen a set from poor Kindaichi. Again. He had gotten better at working with the team since they lost to Karasuno last year, but he was still a pain in Yahaba’s ass most of the time. He’s a good player but he always seems so desperate not to rely on anyone. The problem with that is volleyball is a sport that’s impossible to win alone and if he can’t accept that he’ll never be able to be a proper ace. Not that Yahaba could ever tell him any of this. He’d probably get punched if he tried to. 

He shook his head and focused on the ball that Watari had dug up for him. He knew being the captain would be hard but he hadn’t quite understood until he was really doing it. He spent all of his time playing volleyball, thinking about volleyball, or studying. At least he could do most of that at his grandma’s cottage. She meant more to him that anyone and she wasn’t doing well lately. Of course the rest of his family was there to take care of her too, but he was the one that spent the most time with her. 

Everyday lately was marching on to the same droning tempo; practice, school, practice, study, worry about Grandma, sleep, and then repeat. I guess he sometimes spent time thinking about Kyoutani too. How it seems to be his life goal to piss Yahaba off. How he’s mean to everyone and scares all the first years. How he wears eyeliner and somehow pulls it off. How Yahaba is painfully aware that he likes him and he doesn’t understand what he could possibly see in a guy like Kyoutani but here he is in the middle of practice totally focusing on the wrong fucking thing. 

The point is, Yahaba needs a change of pace and that phone call yesterday just might have been it. 

“Yahaba?” Watari was beside him now, his hand resting on Yahaba’s shoulder and his eyes full of concern. “We’re finished the game.”

“Ah right, my bad.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What had you zoning out so bad?” Watari pushed as they made their way over to where the team was circling around the coaches.

“Oh nothing… I was just thinking about our English homework.” He didn’t really like lying to Watari but the guy tended to worry too much and Yahaba didn’t want to make him worry more. Especially when nothing was really wrong to begin with. He just has a lot on his mind. 

“Should the captain really be getting distracted so easily?” Kyoutani barked from the other side of the net.

“Come on, Kyoutani. You know that’s uncalled for,” Watari pleaded.

Yahaba didn’t even bother to respond besides shooting Kyoutani a scathing look.

Kyoutani just huffed and took another moment to glare at Yahaba before he joined the team. Yahaba was well aware that while he might have certain feelings for him, Kyoutani had nothing but disdain for him. And maybe just a little bit of begrudging respect.

The coaches did their debrief and Yahaba made his usual comments about a certain scary looking ace needing to work on his sportsmanship and with that another practice was in the books. Yahaba helped wrap up like always before he started on his way home. 

The walk home was always pleasant this time of year. The spring lined his trek with beautiful flowers. The cherry blossoms floated through the air, daisies and dandelion grew through the cracks in the pavement, and flowers of every type were budding in everyone’s gardens. It took his breath away every day. 

The first thing he did when he got home was change. The second was grab his homework and go to his grandma’s cottage behind their house. He had to walk through her garden to get to it and it always felt like he was walking into a new, more enchanting world. Today the purple lilacs were starting to bloom, hanging over his head and swaying gently in the wind. 

“I’m back.” He called out as he pushed open the french doors. 

“Welcome home, Shigeru.” His grandma answered from the kitchen. “I was just about to make some tea.”

Yahaba dropped his stuff in the living room before joining her in the kitchen. She was standing at the sink filling the kettle. He moved to the stove. On one side sat an empty mug and a teabag and on the other was a full cup of tea, oversteeped and just barely steaming. He sighed.

“Grandma, you’ve already made tea. Did you forget again?” He asked softly.

“Oh,” she placed the kettle back on the stove. Her little body wilted, and her face drooped as she looked down at the full mug. “I guess I did.”


	2. Sisters Aren't Friends, Ken

Wednesday, April 13th 6:33 pm

Kyoutani wrenched the stupid hands-free headset off and fell forward onto the desk. He really hated this stupid job. Well, really he hated most things. Except his sister. And maybe Yahaba. No, screw that, especially Yahaba. But this job paid more than McDonalds and most of the time people just hung up on him anyway. He basically just sat here all night. His last co-worked had finally left and he was officially alone for the rest of the night.

He huffed out a breath as he pushed himself back up to look at the screen in front of him again. He’d been calling for half an hour and no one had even picked up yet. Reaching for the mouse to scroll through the endless stream of numbers, he noticed the slip of paper he’d left on the desk last night.

Scribbled in his hasty writing, was that number that had answered yesterday. Not just answered but actually talked to him. And Kyoutani had told the guy he’d call back didn’t he? That guy also maybe sorta challenged Kyoutani to really try to scam him and who was he to back down from a dare like that?

He slipped his headset back on, grabbed the slip of paper and typed the number into the call box. But he stopped before he hit enter. That guy told him to come up with a better lie. Normally, he just read the stupid script they gave him. Should he come up with a more convincing reason? The guy already knows that he’s being scammed so that won’t work anyway. He’ll have to try something else. 

He hit enter and listened to the line ring. 

“Well if it isn’t my favourite scam caller.” The guy answered in a stupid fake voice that reminded Kyoutani of Oikawa.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to answer,” Kyoutani replied.

“I said you didn’t know if I was going to answer. And yet you still called.” Kyoutani could hear this asshole's smug face. “Did you come up with a better lie for today?”

“Doesn’t you knowing it’s a lie, defeat the purpose of lying in the first place?” Kyoutani bit back.

“That depends on how good your lie is,” Yahaba offered.

“Why lie when I can just annoy you into doing what I say.” Kyoutani leaned back in his chair and fought a grin off his face.

“And how do you plan to do that?” Yahaba questioned.

“I’ll just keep calling you every day,” Kyoutani declared.

“I’ll just stop answering,” Yahaba refuted

“Ah, but you’ve already answered twice. You’re obviously desperate to hear my voice.” If this guy was gonna mess with Kyoutani, Kyoutani would mess right back.

“That’s rather presumptuous of you,” the guy scoffed. “I believe I already told you I’m only answering to have some fun at your expense.” 

“And I believe I already told you this isn’t an expense. I get paid by the hour, not by the call,” Kyoutani clarified.

“Well unlike you, my time isn’t free. So if you’re planning on scamming me you’d better do it quick.” The guy huffed.

“I might lose this battle, but I’ll win the war.” Kyoutani shrugged, even though the guy couldn’t see it.

“Well, I wish you good luck then. You’ll need it.” Before Kyoutani could respond, the guy hung up. 

Kyoutani grabbed the slip of paper with 778-XXX-XXX scrawled across it and flipped it around in his fingers. 

“Well, now I have to call him again tomorrow.” 

Wednesday, April 13th 8:19 pm

“Oh Ken, is that you?” His sister, Yuzuki's voice carried through the house as Kyoutani shut the door behind him. 

“Yeah,” He replied as he kicked his shoes off and pushed them to the side. Their dog, Pochi, was rubbing against his legs and pushing her head into his hand. He leaned down in front of her, scratching behind her ears with both hands. She was a mutt and a rescue but they loved her anyway, ripped ear and all. 

“How was work?” Yuzuki stepped out of the bathroom, her hands still fumbling to secure a bobby pin in her hair. 

“Good.” He stepped up to her, taking the pin out of her hand and doing it for her. 

“Oh? Good?” She questioned, turning to look at him. “You’re in a better mood than normal. Did something happen, Ken?”

“No,” he answered too quickly. Shit. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Nothing happened. I just made calls like always.” 

“Hmm,” she scrutinized his face for a long moment before she continued. “Alright then, but you’re a shitty liar.” With that, she turned around and walked back into the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she plucked a tube of eyeliner, which was definitely Kentarou’s, off the counter and started to carefully apply it. 

“You’re going out?” He asked, watching her hand rest carefully on the bridge of her nose.

“Yeah, we’re going drinking. You can come if you want.” She dropped her hand and turned to him. “Are they even?” 

“Your left eye is a little longer.” She turned back to the mirror to fix it. “And I don’t think you should be inviting your underage brother to go drinking with you.” 

“I just want you to have some fun, Ken. You’re always so serious.” She took another moment to fix her hair, before pushing him out of the doorway and walking toward the kitchen. “You need friends. Or a boyfriend.” 

“Shut up. I already have a friend.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t count.” She threw over her shoulder at him. 

“Whatever.” He followed her to the entryway. 

“There's dinner in the fridge.” She said as she tied her combat boots. 

“Thanks. Be safe, yeah?” She hopped up from the floor and pulled him into a hug.

“Always am.” With that she stepped out the door, turning around to smile at him. “Don’t wait up.” 

He smiled back before closing the door behind her. Pochi whined beside him. He walked back to the kitchen, dumping food into her bowl as he went. He ate his dinner, still cold, while leaning against the counter and thinking about how he was actually kinda excited to go to work tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This already got more hits than I was expecting so thank you
> 
> I might not update again until next weekend because I have classes to worry about lol


	3. Don't Fall in Love With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really said that I probably wouldn't post again and then did it immediately

Thursday, April 14th 5:24 am 

Normally when Yahaba dragged himself to morning practice half an hour early he was barely functioning, but this morning he was wide awake with rage. Who the hell did that guy think he was? Being all cocky and then telling Yahaba that he’s going to keep calling him. Seriously, no one pissed him off like that. Expect maybe Kyoutani. Maybe he would just purposely not answer today. 

He huffed and kicked the sidewalk underneath him. He was still gonna answer today. 

He cut through the school ground like he did every morning when no one was around to see him and rounded the corner of the gym on autopilot watching the ground at his feet. He stopped dead in his tracks when a pair of legs entered his view. Leaning against the wall beside the door that Yahaba was holding the key to sat Kyoutani Kentarou in all his bad boy, dark eyeliner glory.

“You’re late, Captain.” Kyoutani jabbed. 

“Kyoutani? Why are you here so early?” Kyoutani shrugged instead of offering an explanation. The top two buttons on his shirt were undone and his tie was missing in action. He pushed himself off the ground and slung his bag over his shoulder before turning to the door. 

“You gonna open it or not?” Kyoutani asked, looking back over his shoulder at Yahaba.

“I am not late.” Yahaba squared his shoulders and sauntered over to the door, shoving the key in and twisting it. “I can’t get you to show up on time on a good day, so why are you here before me on this fine morning, Kyouken?”

“Just felt like getting an early start.” Yahaba looked at him just quick enough to catch the look on his face. His seemingly permanent scowl had faded and his eyes almost looked soft. “And don’t call me that, Oikawa 2.0.” The expression was gone as soon as it had come and the signature Kyoutani glower was back in business. 

Yahaba huffed, stepping through the door and toward the change rooms. “I’ll have you know I take that name as a compliment.”

“You shouldn’t.” Kyoutani insisted.

They didn’t talk anymore after that. They both got changed in almost comfortable silence and if Yahaba let his eyes linger on Kyoutani shirtless torso, well then that was no one's business but his. And really it was Kyoutani’s fault for having such a nice body anyway. 

Once they had set up the nets together Yahaba finally spoke again. 

“Alright, let’s stretch then.” He said, turning to Kyoutani.

“Stretch by yourself.” He growled back.

“Come on Kyoutani, it’s safer and more effective to have someone helping you so let me.” Yahaba gestured for Kyoutani to sit in front of him as he spoke. Kyoutani glared at him for a moment, but conceded, dropping to the floor in front of Yahaba and leaning into the first stretch.

“If you’re this early every morning then who do you normally stretch with?” Kyoutani mumbled as Yahaba pushed on his back. The question caught him off guard and Yahaba’s grip almost slipped off of the other boy as he jerked his head up. It almost sounded like the Mad Dog cared. He composed himself and evened the pressure of his hands splayed along the expanse of Kyoutani’s back before he answered.

“Well, I do it alone obviously, but that’s unavoidable.” Kyoutani grunted lightly instead of answering, but that wasn’t uncommon. He was always saying as little as possible unless he was making fun of Yahaba of course. 

Kyoutani pushed back on Yahaba’s hands coming out of the stretch and for a moment, Yahaba thought Kyoutani’s ears were red. But he knew better than that. Kyoutani was many things but caring was not one of them, and if he was Yahaba was the last person he’d care about. He was just projecting his own emotions onto him. 

Just after the two boys had switched spots, with Kyoutani now pushing on Yahaba ’s back, Kindaichi bounded through the gym doors with Kunimi shuffling in behind him. 

“Good morning, Captain,” He babbled far too energetically considering it wasn’t even six in the morning. He got a few feet in the door before he stopped abruptly, nearly making poor Kunimi crash into him. He was staring at where they were stretching on the floor.

“Kyoutani’s…early…?” Kindaichi eventually stammered out looking slightly more pale than before. Yahaba couldn’t really blame him. Kindaichi was normally the one who got the worst of Kyoutani’s bad attitude when it came to actually playing volleyball. Outside of volleyball, that honour fell on Yahaba. 

“I know, Kindaichi. I was just as surprised as you,” Yahaba joked. 

“Shut up,” Kyoutani snapped back, pushing down harder on Yahaba’s back and making the other boy yelp.

“God, you’re such a brute, Kyouken,” Yahaba jabbed.

“I’ll kill you,” he snarled back.

“Yeah right.” Yahaba pushed back on Kyoutani’s hands and stood up. He squared his shoulders and turned to face Kyoutani. “You’re all bark and no bite, Kyouken. Now go warm up.” 

Yahaba didn’t wait for a response before walking to the club room to grab his notes for practice. He had had more than enough of Kyoutani for one morning.

Thursday, April 14th 6:48 pm

Yahaba was cleaning the burnt pan his grandma had forgotten on the stove when the phone rang again. He paused his furious scrubbing and glared at the little block numbers blinking on the call display. That stupid fucking jerk. He shouldn’t even bother answering. He started scraping the pan again. He was determined not to answer. 

Water splashed up as he slammed the dish and yanked the phone up to his ear, his hand still covered in soapy suds. 

“What? Are you still stuck on me?” He mocked into the receiver.

“You're the one that still answered.” The guy teased. “I thought your precious time wasn’t free like mine?” 

“I only answered because my grandma was expecting a call.” Yahaba countered. 

“But you knew it was me when you answered,” the guy had the balls to laugh while he said it. “So that can't be true.”

“Well,” Yahaba stammered. 

“Yeah?” The guy teased.

“That’s just because I was hoping your boss would notice how much time you’re wasting on one caller.” Yahaba resolved. 

“Sure,” the guy jeered.

“That’s the only reason I answered.” Yahaba angrily reached for the dish towel, jerkily wiping off his hands and awkwardly trying to get the bubbles off the phone.

“I’ll take your word for it,” The guy taunted. 

“Don’t patronize me,” Yahaba snapped.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the guy chuckled.

“If you’re not careful I’m gonna hang up on you again,” Yahaba threatened. 

“Come on, I’m just trying to live up to my promise of annoying you into letting me scam you. I’ll make sure you hear my lovely voice every time I work.” The guy paused for a minute. “Just don’t fall in love with me, yeah?” 

The way the guy said it sounded weirdly familiar and for a horrifying second Yahaba thought of Kyoutani. Before he could stop it, Yahaba’s mind had the audacity to imagine Kyoutani saying that to him. But this wasn’t kyoutani. This was some random guy that probably lives on the other side of the country. Not to mention that Kyoutani would never say something like that. Kyoutani didn’t know how to say more than two words at a time. But is that what it would sound like if he did? He felt his face getting hot at his thoughts and decided it was bad territory to be in. 

“You wish,” he scoffed into the receiver before slamming it back into the port and once again hanging up on that asshole. 

He plunged his hands back in the now lukewarm water and went back to furiously scrubbing the pan.


	4. In Your Dreams

Friday, April 15th 5:29 am

“What? You’re early again?” Kyoutani looked up from his phone when he heard the voice. Yahaba was standing above him, looking down at him with his eyebrows furrowed. The early morning sun was glowing behind him and framing his body in warm light. It was far too gay for five in the morning.

“You’re the one who’s always telling me I need to be a better teammate.” He huffed, shoving his phone into his pocket and standing up.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually listen,” Yahaba admitted. 

“Just open the door, Captain.” Yahaba scoffed but did as he was told, stepping up to the gym door and opening it. 

Kyoutani followed behind. Really, he didn’t care that much about the team, but he was in a better mood than normal lately. Waking up this early didn’t seem like such a chore. And besides Yahaba looked like he was more stressed out these days. Not that Kyoutani cared about him or anything, but he shouldn’t have to set up and stretch alone every morning. 

“Why doesn’t Watari come early with you?” Kyoutani questioned as they got changed into their practice shorts. “He’s the vice captain.” 

Yahaba stopped with his shirt in his hand to stare at Kyoutani. Kyoutani really wished he wouldn’t. Yahaba continued to look at Kyoutani with his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open for another moment before he dropped his shirt on the bench and reached to grab his practice one. 

“He helps his dad get his little sister ready for school. His house is kinda chaotic in the mornings,” he answered before slipping the shirt over his head. “Sometimes he shows up late because of it, not that you’d notice because you usually show up even later.” 

Kyoutani didn’t bother replying with more than a grunt. 

Friday, April 15th 6:41 pm

“You’re really calling me again after I hung up on you a second time?” The guy huffed when he answered the phone. Kyoutani couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that spread across his face.

“How much longer are you gonna keep up this act?” He teased.

“What act?” The guy asked.

“The one where you pretend that these calls aren’t fun for you too and that you hate me,” Kyoutani answered.

“I don’t hate you, because that would imply I cared either way,” the guy stated.

“If you don’t care then why are you still answering? Hell, you could have blocked my number by now.” Teasing this guy was way too much fun. Almost as fun as teasing Yahaba.

“It’s precisely because I don’t care that I haven’t blocked you.” 

“That’s flimsy at best.” Kyoutani was not about to let him off that easily.

“No it isn’t,” The guy pouted.

“Oh? So you won’t care when I don’t call tomorrow?” The other end of the call fell silent for a few moments. 

“Why aren’t you gonna call tomorrow?” The guy eventually asked.

“I thought you didn’t care?” Kyoutani couldn’t stop himself from leaning back in the chair and grinning at the shitty plaster ceiling as he continued to needle the guy.

“Well, you told me you were gonna annoy me into letting you scam me.” The guy paused and Kyoutani was almost impressed with his ability to come up with bullshit on the spot. “I’m just making sure you’re putting your money where your mouth is.”

“Sure,” Kyoutani chided

“Just tell me why.” The guy muttered.

“I don’t work tomorrow.”

“Oh. Right.”

“I only work Tuesday through Friday, so you’ll get a whole three days without me.” Kyoutani sat up straight again, spinning his squeaky desk chair back and forth.

“Thank god,” The guy sassed. 

“Try not to miss me too much,” Kyoutani shot right back, leaning his elbow on the desk and resting his chin in his hand. 

“In your dreams,” The guy scoffed.

“Oh, you wish I’d dream about you.” 

“Shut up.” The guy didn’t give Kyoutani time to answer. “Why do you only work such weird days?”

“Oh well,” Kyoutani fumbled for anything that would pass as a reasonable answer. “Uh.”

“Oh?” The guy questioned. Kyoutani squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his face into his hand, cursing his stupid brain for being incapable of doing anything useful. 

“My sister will only let me work 8 hours a week,” He finally spat out.

“...What?” 

“And she won’t let me work on the weekend either.” Kyoutani pushed on, really wishing the guy would actually hang up on him now.

“Your sister?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait, how old are you?” The guy demanded.

“Seventeen.” 

“Oh really, I’m eighteen.” Before he could stop it, the knowledge that Yahaba is also eighteen popped into his head. Honestly, this asshole kinda sounded like Yahaba too.

“Oh.”

“So why won’t your sister let you work more?” The guy pushed on.

“Why do you care?” Kyoutani leaned back in his chair again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, you’ve gotten all defensive so it’s kinda hard to not be curious now,” The guy teased.

“Doesn’t getting defensive mean you should take a fucking hint,” Kyoutani snarled back.

“Please, I don’t even know your name. What could you possibly have to lose by telling me?” He hated that the guy had a point. 

“Fine.”

“I’m listening.” The guy coaxed.

“She said I don’t need to worry about stuff like this and I should just let her take care of it.” He paused for a second, debating if he should actually continue. He’d already dug his grave, he may as well lie in it. “And some bullshit about me needing to get a life.” 

“Well, that’s not surprising with that attitude of yours,” The guy pointed out.

“My attitude?” Kyoutani had to smother a laugh.

“Yes?”

“What about yours?” Kyoutani teased.

“I do not have an attitude,” The guy demanded.

“Sure, and I don’t scam people.” 

“Shut up.” The guy, once again, continued before Kyoutani could respond. “What about your parents?”

“What about them?” The teasing quality dropped out of Kyoutani’s voice when he answered and he gripped his arms where they were still crossed over his chest.

“Don’t they have some say in whether or not you work?” The guy didn’t seem to take the hint, once again.

“No.” 

“Why?”

“Because they fucked off.” He snapped. The grip on his arm was probably leaving little, red, crest-shaped indents by now.

“Oh.” The line went silent for a few moments before Kyoutani replied.

“You shouldn’t ask questions if you’re not ready to hear the answers.” Kyoutani scolded.

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t think-”

“Do you ever think?” Kyoutani cut him off. 

“Hey, I’m trying to be nice here.” The guy had raised his voice with that, almost shouting.

“And I’m pretty sure being nice isn’t how this dynamic works.” Kyoutani finally released his arms and leaned forward again so his elbows rested on the desk. 

“No, you’re right. You’re too much of an asshole for me to feel sorry,” The guy spat out.

“Good. I didn’t want you to feel sorry anyway,” Kyoutani threw right back, sitting up straight.

“Good. Cause I’m not gonna.” 

“Good.” The line fell silent again and Kyoutani forced himself to take a few breaths and calm the fuck down.

“I’m sorry for being insensitive,” The guy muttered, so softly that Kyoutani almost didn’t catch it.

“Sorry for being an asshole,” Kyoutani mumbled back.

“I’ll talk to you Tuesday?” The guy asked carefully.

“Still haven’t scammed you have I?” Kyoutani teased back.

“No.” Kyoutani heard the guy just barely laugh through the receiver. 

“Then yeah. I’ll talk to you on Tuesday.”


	5. What the Fuck is a Gardenia?

Saturday, April 16th 2:25 pm

Pochi tugged hard on the leash in Kyoutani's hand, her legs scratching against the dirt as she tried to race down the trail. 

“Pochi, calm down,” Kyoutani scolded, pulling back on her leash.

“We can let her off once we get into the trees,” Yuzuki said from beside him. 

“We need to take her out more often.” He frowned.

“Well maybe if you didn’t work so much we would.” Yuzuki argured.

“You work more than me.” He pointed out.

“Yes, but I, dear brother, am an adult and therefore am supposed to be working.” She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning toward Kyoutani while they walked. “You are supposed to be going to school and doing stupid shit with your friends and hopefully not getting arrested.” 

“You do enough stupid shit for the both of us.” Kentarou said, pushing her away by her shoulder.

“Wow, that’s a bit harsh don’t ya think?” She questioned. 

“You asked for it.” 

“You know Ken,” She sighed, looking up at the trees that were closing over them. “if I wasn’t aware that I was the only person in your cold, dead heart, I’d think you hated me.” She continued, turning back to him.

“Who says I don’t?” He asked, kneeling down to unclip Pochi’s leash. The second the metal clip left her collar she was sprinting down the path, only to turn around after ten feet and sprint back to them. 

“Oh please, you love me.” Yuzuki asserted, grinning at him.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He admitted, smiling back.

“Always am,” She declared before leaning down and grabbing a stick off the ground. She called Pochi’s name and waved the twig at her before throwing it just ahead of where Pochi was now sitting and waiting to fetch.

“So Ken,” She started in a tone that Kentarou knew to be wary of. 

“Hmm?” 

“You’ve been awfully cheery lately.” She paused for a moment. “Well, cheery for you anyway.” 

“What are you talking about?” He looked into the trees beside him so she couldn’t see his face. 

“Hmm, maybe you’ve finally made yourself a friend.” She ignored him as she continued. “Or maybe you’ve found something more than a friend?” 

“What are you saying?” He turned to glare at her. She had been on the receiving end of that expression far too many times to be affected by it. 

“I’m saying maybe my little brother finally found someone else to love instead of his dearest sister.” She teased. Kyoutani felt his ears burn and ducked his head back down. 

“Don’t be stupid, Yuzuki.” He kept his eyes on the ground in front of him.

“You can lie to me all you want Ken, but your ears can’t and they really are a lovely shade of red at the moment.” She bumped her shoulder into his. He glared at her again, but she just laughed at it. “So who is it?”

“Shut up.” He grumbled. It didn’t matter what he said to her she’d get the answer out of him one way or another. Kyoutani hated it.

“Oh! I bet it’s that guy, you know the one at the interhigh who-”

“Shut. Up. Yuzuki.” He snapped. 

“God you’re so touchy.” She laughed, but relented. 

They continued down the trail in silence for a few minutes, taking turns throwing the stick for Pochi until she decided to chew it to pieces instead of giving it back.

They rounded a corner of the trail and a few meters ahead of them, stopped on the side of the trail, were two people looking at flowers. The first was a woman with her back to them. She had long wavy grey hair and was wearing dirty overalls with flowers sticking out of the pockets. Beside her, facing them, was a guy. Fuck not just any guy. Probably the absolute worst person Kyoutani could have ran into while doing something as incredibly domestic and soft as a Saturday afternoon walk. 

Kyountani stopped walking, but before he could turn around and literally run away, the guy looked up and made eye contact with him. 

“Kyoutani?” He asked.

“Yahaba,” Kyoutani grunted back.

“Oh? Kyoutani?” The old lady questioned, turning around to greet them. “You must be the boy my darling Shigeru talks about all the time,” She stated, patting Yahaba on the shoulder. 

“Grandma!” Kyoutani watched Yahaba’s face turn red as he scolded her. 

“You talk about me?” Kyoutani asked, raising an eyebrow. Yahaba talking about him? Likely fucking story.

“Only because you’re so hard to work with.” Yahaba scoffed before his eyes widened as they landed on Yuzuki, still standing beside Kyoutani. He was probably scared of her. She was a Kyoutani too after all. 

“Ha! That tracks.” She laughed, throwing an arm over Kyoutani’s shoulder. “I’m Kyoutani Yuzuki, Ken’s older sister, since it seems he’s too rude to introduce me himself.” Kyoutani pushed her off and turned to glare at her but fell short. The look on her face was downright scary and he needed to get her as far away from stupid Yahaba as soon as possible. 

“Oh, I’m Yahaba Shigeru.” He held out his hand to her.

“I know” She said as she shook his hand and god Kyoutani was ready to die right here, right now. 

“You do?” Yahaba asked, his eyebrows drawing together.

“Of course,” Yuzuki continued, unbothered by how creepy she sounded and the look Kyoutani was burning into the side of her head. “You’re the only other person I’ve seen put my brother in his place before.” 

“Oh. Right.” Yahaba mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Wait, what?” His head snapped back up to look at Yuzuki.

“You threw him up against a wall and yelled at him in front of an entire gymnasium full of people.” She explained. “But, don’t worry I thought it was hilarious.” Kyoutani wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off of her stupid face. Before he could the old lady spoke again.

“It seems Shigeru has lost his manners too,” She chastised, standing up from where she had been crouched down petting Pochi. Kyoutani had nearly forgotten about both of them while worrying about what his sister might say to Yahaba. “I’m his grandma, Yahaba Himari.” She said, holding her hand out to Kyoutani.

“I’m Kyoutani Kentarou. It’s nice to meet you ma’am.” He shook her hand. Kyoutani may seem like an asshole and most of the time it’s probably warranted, but he was always polite when it came to little old ladies. That and it was fun to see the look on Yahaba’s face when he greeted his grandma like that. 

“And who is this?” Himari asked, leaning down to pet Pochi again. 

“This is Pochi.” Kyoutani introduced, leaning down as well to scratch behind her ears.

“She’s our third family member.” Yuzuki explained from above them. “Actually, I think Ken loves her more than me.” 

“Damn right I do.” Kyoutani agreed automatically. Then he froze, remembering that Yahaba was here and according to Yahaba he’s a grouchy asshole who can’t say more than two words at a time and not someone who is soft for his dog and polite to grandmas. 

Kyoutani cleared his throat and stood up again, Himari following suit. Yahaba was staring at him like he had grown two heads and Yuzuki looked like she was about to say something even more embarrassing than what she already had.

Before anyone could say anything, Pochi jumped up and barked, upset that she was no longer being patted, and started running down the trail again. 

“Looks like Pochi wants to keep going.” Kyoutani stated, seeing his way out and fucking taking it. “It was nice to meet you,” He said to Himari.

“Oh wait, here,” Himari pulled a red flower out of her pocket and handed it to Kyoutani. “From Shigeru.” She said, before looping her arm through Yahaba’s and leading him down the trail in the other direction. 

Kyoutani looked down at the flower in his hand. It looked kinda like a rose, but he really didn’t know anything about flowers. Like at all. He looked back at the two Yahaba’s, now a few meters away, and just barely caught Shigeru’s voice. 

“Really, Grandma? A red gardenia? Are you serious?” If he wasn’t imagining things Yahaba’s face seemed awfully red. But Kyoutani’s face was probably just as bad.

He looked back down at the flower in his hand. What the fuck is a gardenia? Yuzuki was already a few feet ahead of him and laughing at him over her shoulder. What the fuck just happened?

Saturday, April 16th 7:17 pm

Yuzuki had been suspiciously quiet for the rest of the walk and through dinner. Well she wasn’t actually quiet. In reality she never shut up. But she hadn’t mentioned Yahaba or Kyoutani’s ‘good mood’ since then. It put him on edge. She didn’t even say anything when he put the gardenia in a cup of water and placed it on the windowsill in front of the sink. 

Kyoutani was doing the dishes when she finally decided to bombard him again. 

“So Ken,” She started as she grabbed the cloth to start drying. “That kid we met in the park today, he’s the one you like yeah?” Kyoutani refused to even glance at her. He could tell exactly what stupid face she was making without looking anyway.

“Piss off.” He put all his energy into scrubbing a pan that was already mostly clean in an attempt to ignore her.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She concluded, stacking bowls back in the cupboard. “He’s cute. For you anyway.”

“Shut. Up.” 

“I wish I got to talk to him more. I could have embarrassed you so hard,” She continued, unphased. “Oh well, I’ll just have to do it next time.”

“You will never talk to him again.” Kyoutani finally turned to look at her, staring her down. She just laughed.

“Come on, you can’t expect not to talk to my brother-in-law.” Kyoutani frooze, hands still submerged in the soapy water. He really did not want to think about how flustered that comment made him feel.

“What the fuck are you talking about.” He snapped. 

“Fine, fine, I was just joking,” She conceded. “Now hurry up and finish the dishes, I wanna start the movie.” 

Kyoutani didn’t bother replying.

“What do you wanna watch tonight? I was thinking about a rom-com. Seems fitting right?” Yuzuki asked.

“No,” Kyoutani said, his eyes falling to the gardenia in front of him. It really was a pretty flower. He didn’t know that Yahaba was so close to his grandma. Really, what eighteen year old is? For some reason the situation sounded weirdly familiar but he couldn’t figure out why. Whatever, he’d just blame stupid Yahaba. “No fucking rom-coms.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what am I supposed to write in the chapter notes??


	6. You're a Gay Mess, Yahaba

Sunday, April 17th 11:23 am

Yahaba was supposed to be studying. Supposed to was the keyword there because in reality, he was just sitting in front of his textbook and literally dying. Okay not literally, but you get it. 

He couldn’t stop thinking about Kyoutani and how cute he looked with his dog and how his eyes went all soft and how he turned into a totally different person when he greeted Yahaba’s grandma. And his sister. Yahaba didn’t know he had siblings and he really didn’t expect him to be so close with them if he did. Definitely not take their dog for a walk on a Saturday afternoon together and make fun of each other close. 

She looked like Kyoutani though. They were the same height and had similar faces, but it was the eyes that really sold it. They were so intense. With his demeanor, they made Kyoutani look like he could beat you to a pulp if he really wanted to. Yuzuki seemed more friendly, but her eyes still made Yahaba wary of ever getting on her bad side. 

There was also that guy. The one who kept calling him and the one Yahaba kept answering. It was weird. They’d only talked a few times and they’d mostly just argued but it all felt so familiar. Sometimes the guy's voice sounded familiar too, but Yahaba could never place it. He was basically Yahaba's age too, probably in the same grade. This guy also had a sister like Kyoutani. But lots of people have sisters so that wasn’t really a big coincidence. More importantly, Yahaba should really not be thinking about someone he doesn’t even know as much as he was. 

“Yahaba?” Watari was standing in the doorway with his school bag over his shoulder. “What are you doing?” 

“Oh. I was just thinking.” Yahaba replied, shaking his head and turning back to his book. 

“What about?” Watari asked as he sat down beside him. He didn’t start taking out his books yet.

“Well, uh,” Yahaba trailed off, rubbing the back of his head.

“Ah, Kyoutani then,” Watari concluded, nodding to himself.

“What? What is that supposed to mean?” Yahaba demanded, whipping his head around to stare at Watari.

“Come on, Yahaba. You aren’t very subtle.” Watari ignored him as he began to unpack his homework. ”Neither of you are.” 

“What?” Yahaba didn’t know what he could possibly mean by that because there is no way he meant that Kyoutani was also hopelessly and obviously pining over him. 

“Nevermind, just tell me what you were thinking about.” Watari dismissed.

“Well, it’s partly about him,” Yahaba huffed. “I saw him at the park yesterday.”

“And?”

“He has a dog. And a sister.” Yahaba could feel his face heating up as he thought about Kyoutani looking all soft again so he picked up his pencil to at least pretend to do some work. “And he charmed my grandma?” 

“Really?” Watari had turned his head away from where he had actually been working while Yahaba talked, eyes wide.

“Right!” Yahaba blurted, turning to Watari. “It was totally weird. He was all polite and he shook her hand and called her ‘ma’am’.”

‘That’s so hard to imagine.” Watari scrunched up his face, no doubt attempting to envision polite Kyoutani in his head. “Alright, what else were you thinking so hard about?”

“Well, it’s kinda a long story,” Yahaba hesitated, tapping his pencil against the tabletop.

“Well, we’ve got time,” Watari answered as he stole Yahaba’s pencil, effectively stopping his tapping.

“Okay,” Yahaba relented. He told Yahaba about how he accidentally answered the first scam call and how it all escalated and turned into some weird recurring phone date. But not really a date.

“So let me get this straight,” Watari said once he finished explaining, turning around so he was sat facing Yahaba. He paused for a moment before he continued. “Or not straight, but you know what I mean. Anyway, you’ve spent the last year pinning over Kyoutani-”

“I have not been pinning.” Yahaba immediately denied.

“Shut up let me finish,” Watari scolded him before continuing. “You’re in love with Kyoutani but now you’re also worried that you’re catching feelings for a guy literally trying to scam you?”

“I-” Yahaba really wanted to argue, but he was, unfortunately, more self-aware than that. Instead, he sighed and admitted defeat. “Yes, but do you have to be so blunt about it?”

“I’m just calling it how I see it,” Watari pointed out. “And what I’m seeing is you being a gay mess.”

“What’s this I hear about you being a ‘gay mess’, Shigeru?” Yahaba’s grandma’s voice sing-songed from where she was leaning against the doorway. Yahaba hadn’t even noticed her there. “Does this have to do with that lovely Kentarou we met yesterday? Or maybe that boy you’ve been using my phone to talk to non-stop?”

“We have not been talking non-stop. We talk for like maybe five minutes a day.” Yahaba refuted.

“Everyday. And it’s more than five minutes.” His grandma argued right back. 

“And Kyoutani is not normally that-” He stopped mid-sentence, struggling. “That nice.” He finally finished.

“Yes, yes,” His grandma waved him off. “Poor Watari and I have heard all about Kyoutani.”

Yahaba rubbed his eyes so hard he was pretty sure he’d entered a new dimension. “What are you doing here, Grandma?”

“I was bringing your mother some fresh flowers and just happened to overhear,” She shrugged.

“Just.” Yahaba took a breath in a weak attempt to hold in his frustration. “Let us study in peace.”

“Alright,” She laughed, pushing herself off the doorframe and retreating down the stairs. Once they could no longer hear her, Watari turned back to Yahaba. 

“How has she been doing lately?” He asked softly. Yahaba sighed and slumped forward onto the textbooks and worksheets spread across the table. 

“Worse everyday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna finish this chapter and post it last night but then my sister convinced me to play jackbox and drink too much wine with her instead.


	7. Kyoutani Has a Thing For Pompous Assholes

Tuesday, April 19th 5:16 pm

The changing room was always too loud for Kyoutani to handle. It was part of the reason he used to show up late. Although now he showed up early with Yahaba and that was almost better than changing alone. But after practice he couldn’t avoid changing with everyone else. Or at least not on the days he worked. He had to rush to get changed or he wouldn’t have time to stop at his house to drop his shit and eat some food before making pointless calls for two hours. 

Yahaba and Watari were being especially annoying this afternoon. They were both acting weirder than normal. Watari had a stupid grin on his face that almost reminded Kyoutani of Yuzuki and nothing good ever came after she smiled like that. Yahaba on the other hand was whispering to Watari in a rushed tone that Kyoutani couldn’t make out and his face was suspiciously red. 

Whatever, Kyoutani had better things to think about than Yahaba. He already took up way more room in Kyoutani’s mind than Kyoutani was okay with. His mind should be full of other things anyway. Like the fact that Pochi’s food is getting low and he needs to buy more or keeping his grades up so he can make his sister proud. Or even that stupid guy he’s been calling at work. Anything but stupid Yahaba.

“Hey, Kyoutani?” Watari was leaning against the locker beside Kyoutani’s and Kyoutani barely managed to stop himself from jumping out of his skin. Kyoutani hadn’t even noticed him walk over. 

“What?” Kyoutani grunted back, shutting his locker.

“I was wondering if you wanted to come study with Yahaba and I for a bit?” The creepy grin had been replaced with a sheepish face as Watari spoke. Kyoutani was surprised he asked at all. He had spent years building up an image of being unapproachable and it had served him well so far. Even if it meant he had to listen to all the mean shit people said about him when they thought he couldn’t hear them. 

“No, sorry. I’m working tonight.” Kyoutani replied, plucking his bag off the ground and slinging it over his shoulder. Why did he apologize?

“Oh.” Watari seemed similarity taken aback by Kyoutani’s polite answer. “I didn’t know you had a job.” He finally settled on.

“Yeah well,” Kyoutani trailed off. “I’ve got to go.” He said, gripping the strap of his bag.

“Right. Well, maybe next time.” Watari moved to the side to let him pass. “Have fun at work then, Kyoutani.” He called after him.

Kyoutani didn’t bother replying. Since when did Watari invite him to study sessions? And with Yahaba at that. Everyone on the team, hell everyone in the whole school, knows Kyoutani and Yahaba hate each other. Or at least Yahaba hates him and Kyoutani wasn’t about to let that asshole think his hate was one-sided. No, they worked best as enemies and maybe reluctant teammates. Besides, Kyoutani didn’t need friends.

Tuesday, April 19th 7:35 pm

The time between Kyoutani hitting the call button and the guy picking up was laughably small.

“Oh good. I needed a break right about now.” The talking started as soon as he answered the phone.

“A break from what?” Kyoutani questioned.

“Studying,” The guy said with a sigh.

“Ah,” Kyoutani grunted.

“Yeah, my friend actually just left,” That surprised Kyoutani more than it probably should have. Really, it would be weird if an eighteen year old guy didn’t hang out with friends. Even Yahaba was hanging out with Watari today, although they were also just studying.

“You have friends?” Kyoutani teased leaning back in his desk chair. 

“Yes, you asshole,” The guy snapped back. “Who doesn’t?”

“I don’t,” Kyoutani pointed out. He had never denied it before and he wasn’t going to start now.

“What?” The guy really did sound confused but Kyoutani was pretty sure he basically told the guy he didn’t have a life during their last call. “I don’t believe that.”

“Why not? I thought I was an asshole?” Kyoutani mocked.

“You are,” The guy agreed. “But even assholes have friends.” 

“Well I don’t,” Kyoutani argued. He didn’t need them either, no matter how much Yuzuki insisted he did.

“What about your sister?”

“She says sisters don’t count.” The guy didn’t answer right away after that.

“Well, that’s fair I guess,” He eventually mused. “What about me then?”

“You?” Kyoutani sat up straighter in his chair as he asked.

“Yeah, I’m your friend right?” The guy pressed.

“We’ve talked like four times.” Kyoutani protested.

“Five, if you count right now.” 

“We don’t know anything about each other.” Kyoutani hadn’t thought of this guy as a friend. He was just a guy. Sure, a guy that Kyoutani called every day and that he joked with and generally had fun talking to, but a friend? That seemed like a stretch.

“Well, we can change that. I mean what else are we gonna talk about while you continue to fail at scamming me?” The guy suggested. Kyoutani didn’t answer right away. He was too busy trying to come up with an excuse to say no. Then again, they got more personal than he was comfortable with last time and it still worked out.

“Alright.” He finally conceded.

“Okay, we talked about you last time so you ask me something this time.” The guy offered.

“Why do you answer your grandma’s phone?” Kyoutani asked without hesitation. He’d been wondering for a while now. 

“Because she won’t,” The guy shrugged.

“Why not?” What the hell, don’t old ladies love answering phones? What else do they do with all their retirement time? 

“I wish I knew.” He wondered listlessly. It was the same tone of voice Yahaba used when he was being intentionally annoying. Kyoutani hated it.

“Do you live with her?” Kyoutani questioned further.

“No, I live beside her.” 

“What?” Kyoutani wasn’t sure if this guy was being purposefully vague or not but it was making his eyebrows furrow in the way Yahaba always told him was the reason people were scared of him. 

“Our houses are on the same property.” The guy explained. “She bought the property with my parents and they built her a cottage behind the original house.”

“Ah, that makes sense.” Kyoutani felt his face relax again.

“Yeah,” They fell into silence for a few seconds while Kyoutani thought of another question.

“So why are you always at her house then?” He suddenly asked.

“Oh well, I’ve always been the closest to her out of my siblings but lately,” The guy muttered before trailing off. “Well, let’s just say she’s been struggling.” He finally finished.

“Struggling how?” Kyoutani pressed.

“Her memory is getting bad.” The guy replied hesitantly.

“Oh.” Kyoutani didn’t really know what to say to that but the guy continued again before he could say anything else.

“It’s not like she can’t remember anything or anything that severe, it’s just little things that you almost wouldn’t notice but it just keeps happening more and more, you know?” He explained.

“Yeah. Has she gone to a doctor?” Kyoutani asked.

“No, but she’s got an appointment coming up soon.” 

“Oh, well that’s good.” Kyoutani offered.

“Yeah, I guess,” The guy agreed weakly.

“Yeah,” Kyoutani echoed. Neither of them said anything for a long moment. Kyoutani rubbed a hand over his face. “You said you had siblings?” Kyoutani prompted, hopefully switching to a less upsetting topic.

“Oh yeah,” The guy replied. “I’ve got two brothers, one older and one younger.” He clarified.

“Oh? Funny, you don’t seem like a middle child.” Kyoutani teased.

“What is that supposed to mean?” The guy huffed back. They seemed to be back to their normal banter and Kyoutani was grateful that his attempt to lighten the mood had worked.

“Well, you know, aren’t the middle children supposed to be calm and quiet or something?” Kyoutani ribbed. Teasing this guy really was too much fun.

“What would you know about middle children?” The guy argued. “You only have one sister.”

“Fair point.” Kyoutani agreed and if he was smiling, well there was no one else there to see it.

“Of course it is, I’m always right,” Kyoutani was starting to think he had a thing for pompous assholes. Not that he had a thing for this guy or anything. Definitely not.

“Well now,” Kyoutani smirked. “That seems like a stretch.”

“Nope, it’s the absolute truth.” The guy insisted.

“Sure it is.”Kyoutani rolled his eyes as he spoke. He hoped it translated through with just his voice.

“Shut up.” The guy pouted.

“Make me.” Kyoutani shot back. Challenging someone like this was always more fun in person, but this would have to do for now.

“This is a phone call,” The guy scoffed “The only way I can make you shut up is by hanging up. Is that what you want?”

“What if it was?” Kyoutani teased. He was grinning now, but he probably wouldn’t even care if someone could see him.

“I mean you’re the one who called me.” The guy argued.

“Maybe I regret it.” 

“Then why don’t you hang up?” The guy dared.

“Fine,” Kyoutani grunted. “I will.” He probably wouldn’t. 

“Are you sure?” The guy goaded.

“I’m serious.” He really was. Kyoutani was about to hang up on this asshole. He leaned forward in his chair, grabbing his mouse and moving the cursor over the ‘end call’ button.

“Then why are we still talking?” The guy sassed.

“I hate you.” Kyoutani seethed, his hand still on the mouse. 

“Ouch, harsh words from my scam caller.” The guy laughed. Kyoutani was horrified by how much he enjoyed the sound of it. It was also weirdly familiar. 

“Shut up.” Kyoutani barked. 

“Make me.” The guy jabbed back.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kyoutani smashed the mouse button before he could stop himself. He slumped forward onto the desk in front of him while ripping his headset off. He couldn’t help but laugh against the desk underneath him. A friend, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow I'm sorry for going MIA for a few days but university hit me like a whole ass bus this week so it'll probably happen again


	8. You're Dead to Me, Watari

Wednesday, April 20th 5:26 pm

The club room was empty except for Watari and Yahaba. Yahaba was sitting at the little desk in the corner making his post-practice notes and pointedly ignoring the other boy. 

“Come on, Yahaba. I said I was sorry,” Watari pleaded from where he was standing awkwardly on the other side of the room. “Please let me make it up to you at least.” 

“No, you’re dead to me,” Yahaba didn’t even look up from his paper as he spoke. “In fact, you’re lucky that I’m even acknowledging that you spoke.” 

“I was just trying to help.” Watari took a few tentative steps toward Yahaba. 

“In what world is asking Kyoutani to study with us two days in a row helpful?” Finally looking up from his paper, Yahaba scowled at him.

“Well, if you two would just figure out how to deal with your emotions by yourselves I wouldn’t have to get involved,” Watari argues, crossing his arms and staring back at Yahaba.

“No one asked you to get involved in the first place.” Yahaba stood up abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over in the process. He rounded on the other boy, jabbing a finger at him.

“Jesus, Yahaba,” Watari dropped his arms and lowered his voice. “Everyone can see that you two like each other. I was really just trying to help.” 

“Kyoutani hates me,” Yahaba snapped back, but he could feel the tension leaving him. “And I don’t like him either.” 

Watari opened his mouth but closed it again before he said anything. Instead, he laid a hand on Yahaba’s shoulder. “Okay,” He finally settled on.

“I’m serious, he’s the worst,” Yahaba insisted, but he was aware his tone and expression were too soft for it to be convincing. He really was the worst, though, Yahaba just happened to like him anyway.

“Yeah, he is,” Watari agreed softly. 

“Fine, you’re right,” Yahaba conceded. “I like him. I really like him.”

“I know,” Watari consoled, squeezing his shoulder. “Look, why don’t we go do something fun right now?”

“I can’t,” Yahaba hesitated, shrugging his hand off. “I have to study, and there’s my grandma and-”

“Yahaba,” Watari cut him off. “You work too hard. The earth isn’t gonna stop spinning because you take a day off.”

“But-”

“No. No buts,” Watari didn’t give him any room to argue. Yahaba hated to admit it but Watari could be even more stubborn than him sometimes. “We’re gonna go and buy some dinner and then we’re gonna go see a movie.” 

“That sounds like a date, Watari,” Yahaba laughed, turning around to pack up his stuff.

“Oh please, if I was taking you on a date it would be much more exciting than that,” Watari scoffed, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“Fair enough,” Yahaba couldn’t help but think of doing this with Kyoutani instead. He didn’t think it would be a boring date. 

“Come on, there’s this new Ramen place by the theatre that I want to try.” Watari grabbed Yahaba by the arm and dragged him out of the club room, pausing to let him lock the door before pressing on. Yahaba couldn’t help but laugh at him and his aggressive caring. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head that he was forgetting something important though. Oh well, if it was really that important he wouldn’t have forgotten it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so short. The next chapter is basically done I just need to edit it a little more, but hopefully I'll post it tomorrow.


	9. So That's What a Gardenia is

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the next chapter.

Wednesday, April 20th 6:34 pm

Kyoutani hated to admit it but he was really looking forward to talking to this stupid guy that he didn’t even know. If he thought about it at all the only conclusion he could come to was that he was literally going insane. It was bad enough that he had a crush on Yahaba, now he’s getting too attached to a guy he’s supposed to be scamming.

He called the number and tried very hard to pretend that he wasn’t excited. 

“Hello?” The person who answered was decidedly not the guy. It sounded like an old lady, probably his grandma.

“Uh, sorry I was looking for,” Kyoutani trailed off, realizing he didn’t actually know who he was looking for. “Someone else.” 

“Oh?” The old lady answered. “You must be the boy that my darling Shigeru has been talking to lately.” 

Kyoutani froze. He heard that wrong right? There was no way. No way in hell that she just said Shigeru. It’s not like Shigeru is a rare name or anything, it’s probably just a coincidence. Yeah, a coincidence. It must also be a coincidence that they both have a strong relationship with their grandmas. 

And that they’re both eighteen. 

And that they sound similar. 

And that Kyoutani likes them. 

Holy shit. He’s been talking to Yahaba.

No, he’s been flirting with Yahaba and telling him personal things and becoming his fucking friend. 

Yahaba, the guy who literally hates him. 

Fuck. 

“Hello? Are you still there?” The lady, no Yahaba’s grandma asked again. Now that he thought about it, he definitely recognized her voice too. Kyoutani realized that he had been quiet for way too long while he was literally freaking the fuck out.

“Sorry, what did you say his name was?” He finally choked out.

“Shigeru. Yahaba Shigeru.” Well, Kyoutani was really, truly fucked. “You guys have been talking every day but you didn’t even know his name?” 

“Oh, well I guess we just never got around to names,” Kyoutani admitted sheepishly. 

“My goodness, kids these days, I don’t know what goes through their heads.” Himari continued on. Meanwhile, Kyoutani was still freaking out. Should he tell Yahaba? No, no way. Should he just stop calling? That would be kinda mean, wouldn’t it? To just disappear. Speaking of disappearing, why the hell wasn’t Yahaba home to answer the call today.

“Is Shigeru not home today?” Kyoutani asked suddenly. It felt weird using Yahaba’s given name. He also kinda wanted to use it all the time.

“Oh, he didn’t come home after practice today,” Kyoutani hated that he left too early to know why. “His mother mentioned something about him going out with his friend. I was hoping he would help me tend to the mimosas today.” 

“Are mimosas a type of flower?” Kyoutani thought they were when you mixed cheap champagne with orange juice. Yuzuki loved to drink them when they had brunch on Sunday mornings. Kyoutani called her basic for it. 

“Well, technically they’re a tree, but they do flower beautifully during the summer.” She explained.

“You seem to know a lot about plants.” Kyoutani hadn’t really put much thought into plants before. He was more of an animal person.

“Mostly just flowers, dear,” She corrected. Kyoutani didn’t know how he felt about being called dear by a little old lady. It was weird. “You can say a lot with just flowers.” 

“You can?” Now that he thought about it, he vaguely remembered something about flowers having weird meanings.

“Have you ever heard of the language of flowers?” Himari asked. 

“No, not really.” Kyoutani didn’t think anyone really paid attention to that kind of stuff, but if anyone would it would make sense that it was someone like Yahaba.

“Well you’ll have to ask Shigeru about it then,” She decided. She didn’t give Kyoutani time to process what she had said before she continued. “I have work to do in my garden so I’m afraid I can’t talk any longer.”

“Oh, of course.” Kyoutani faltered. Ask Yahaba to teach him about flowers? Yahaba would think Kyoutani had gone insane. Or he could ask him as the random scam caller. If he actually called him again.

“It was lovely talking to you. Have a good day, dear.” Himari said before hanging up. 

Kyoutani stared at the screen that was blinking at him, telling him that the call had disconnected. He was desperately trying to process what the hell had just happened.

He had been talking to Yahaba for a week without even realizing it.

How could he be that incredibly stupid? He should’ve recognized Yahaba’s voice right away. Even if he didn’t he should have realized from how he spoke, it was so obviously Yahaba. Well, normally Yahaba wasn’t that rude. He only talked to Kyoutani like that. 

And apparently random scam callers.

Kyoutani also should have realized when he found out he was the same age as Yahaba and the whole grandma thing. 

Wait, that meant that Yahaba was worried about his grandma. Kyoutani knew there was nothing he could really do about that even if he wanted to. It wasn’t like he was friends with Yahaba and Yahaba didn’t even know that Kyoutani knew about it. He hated not being able to do anything though. 

There were also the flowers. He couldn’t ask Yahaba about that in real life, but he was kinda interested. Especially if it was something Yahaba was interested in. But he also couldn’t call Yahaba again, could he? He would have to admit that it was him and not some random dude. Well, I guess he didn’t have to. Thinking back, Yahaba had seemed a little less stressed since the calls started. Kyoutani couldn’t take that away from him. 

He would call Yahaba again tomorrow and just never tell him that it was really Kyoutani all along. 

Wednesday, April 20th 8:57 pm

The house was almost completely still and normally Kyoutani lived for moments like these. But right now his brain was completely empty, while simultaneously feeling like a 2006 Dell laptop valiantly trying to load 4 chrome tabs at the same time. He was staring down at the plate that he had been washing for probably 5 minutes now. It was well past clean. 

Pochi trotted into the kitchen, barking at him and sitting in front of her dish. He forgot to feed her when he got home and Yuzuki hadn’t come home from work yet. 

He pulled his pruny hands out of the dishwater and placed the single plate in the drying rack. He half dried his hands before scooping food into her bowl. 

Walking through the kitchen his eyes caught on the gardenia that was now drooping on the windowsill. The language of flowers, hey? If Himari knows so much about flowers does that mean she gave him that on purpose?

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and typed ‘gardenia flower meaning’ into google. He opened the first link that popped up. The article was headed with a picture of a white flower. He scrolled down just enough to see another picture of a red flower, just like the one wilting on his windowsill. The subtitle above it read ‘meaning behind the red gardenia’. Bolded in the paragraph below was a single sentence.

“The red gardenia symbolizes secret love between two people.” 

What the fuck. Two more tabs popped up on his shitty laptop brain. What was this old lady trying to tell him? No. she was probably just messing with him. 

Oh. 

She had said it was ‘from Shigeru’, hadn’t she?

Wait, no. That’s even more confusing. Was she trying to say that Yahaba was secretly in love with him?

It was a funny joke, he’d give her that.

He sighed, closing his phone and stuffing it back in his pocket. Yahaba didn’t like him. In fact, he hated him. 

Whatever. Kyoutani just needed to sleep this stupid, crazy, stressful day off and then tomorrow he would show up to practice early again and Yahaba would spend all day yelling at him and he could pretend that today didn’t even happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might end up not posting again for a couple days because school


	10. Guess, Shigeru

Thursday, April 21st 5:25 am

Kyoutani was more surprised than anyone that he was still getting up at the literal crack of dawn just to spend a few minutes alone with Yahaba. It really shouldn’t have been surprising though, because it was Yahaba and Kyoutani was really gay. He was more surprised Yahaba hadn’t kicked him out yet. 

At least the streets were quiet this early in the morning and the way the sky was always washed in hues of pink and orange took Kyoutani’s breath away. There were worse ways to spend his mornings. He and Yahaba didn’t talk much. Neither of them were awake enough to fight with each other so they mostly just set up in silence. 

He always got to the gym before Yahaba. He liked to get here before him, just because he knows it probably annoys Yahaba. He leaned against the wall like he did most mornings and pulled out his phone. When he unlocked it, the article that he had been looking at the night before greeted him. 

Oh shit, right. The events of the previous night came back to him in a rush. He had totally forgotten about it when he woke up and even now he was way too tired to properly process it. 

“Kyoutani?” Yahaba called from a few feet away. Kyoutani flinched at the sudden sound and quickly tossed his phone into his bag without even locking it. “Why do you look so freaked out?”

“Shut up and mind your own business.” Kyoutani barked back, turning away from Yahaba in a poor attempt to hide his stupid red face. He was so not ready to deal with all this. He didn’t even know what all this was. 

Yahaba just huffed out a breath and smashed the key into the door. Kyoutani felt kinda bad for being so mean, but this was just how they always were with each other.

But maybe they didn’t need to be like that. 

Maybe they could be more than that. 

No. Yahaba hated him and the fact that his grandma gave Kyoutani a flower that supposedly meant Yahaba felt differently didn’t mean he actually did. Kyoutani wouldn’t believe something like that unless Yahaba told him himself. Even if he did Kyoutani probably still wouldn’t believe him.

Thursday, April 21st 7:12 pm

Kyoutani was definitely avoiding calling Yahaba.

But at this point, he’d already made 50 calls and not one person had answered. He was bored out of his mind. He would also be lying if he said he didn’t really like talking to him. When they talked like this he got to see a different side of Yahaba. In real life, they yelled more than they talked, but this was flirty banter and Kyoutani really couldn’t deny that he was kinda happy that the random guy he was starting to like was actually Yahaba. 

Not that he’d ever tell Yahaba that. He also wasn’t going to tell Yahaba that it was really Kyoutani who had been calling him. It might have been wrong but Kyoutani was a coward. 

He hit the call button.

“Hey, did you miss me yesterday?” The guy, no Yahaba, answered. Now that Kyoutani knew it was him he really couldn’t believe he didn’t notice it before.

“And what if I did?” Kyoutani answered before he could stop himself.

“Wait, seriously?” Yahaba asked incredulously. 

“No, “ Kyoutani smirked to himself. “I got to have a lovely conversation with your grandmother.”

“No way, she actually answered the phone?” Yahaba marvelled. “Wait, what did she say?” 

“Not much. But she did tell me that you’re into flowers.” He paused for a second debating how much he should say. “Didn’t know you were into girly shit like that, Shigeru.”

“Hey I’m perfectly comfortable with my masculinity, thank you very much and-” Yahaba abruptly stopped his prattling. “Did you just call me Shigeru?”

“Mm-hmm,” Kyoutani was way past trying to keep the smile off his face now. “And you’re right. My sister would smack me if she knew I was perpetuating such heteronormative and toxic bullshit.” 

“Wait, I-” Yahaba floundered and Kyoutani just leaned back in his chair and let him. “Can we back up for a second?” He finally demanded.

“Sure,” Kyoutani really loved listening to Yahaba squirm like this. Although it would be even better in person. His face was probably going red like it did whenever he got too worked up. 

“First of all, did my grandma tell you my name?” Yahaba interrogated. 

“She sure did, Yahaba Shigeru,” Kyoutani affirmed.

“Really, she told you my full name? What the hell was she thinking?” Yahaba asked, more to himself than to Kyoutani. 

“She seemed to think it was weird that I didn’t already know,” Kyoutani laughed.

“Whatever.” Yahaba sighed. “Second of all, did you really just drop words as big perpetuating and heteronormative and then act like nothing happened?” 

“Do you not know what they mean? I thought you were smarter than that, Shigeru.” Kyoutani teased. He did, in fact, know that Yahaba was smarter than that. He was one of the smartest people Kyoutani knew but he’d be damned if he ever told Yahaba that. 

“Shut up. Of course I know what they mean. I'm just surprised that you know them.” Yahaba huffed. Kyoutani hated how cute it sounded when he was annoyed. “I’m even more surprised that you admitted that you were wrong.” 

“Of course I did. I might be an asshole but I’m not actually a misogynistic dick.” He scoffed. He also wasn’t lying when he said Yuzuki would literally punch him if she had heard him say that.

“Really? I could see you being a huge homophobe to be honest.” Yahaba said and Kyoutani couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well that would make me a pretty big hypocrite,” He said through his laughter.

“What? Why?” Yahaba questioned. “Oh, you mean that you-?” He sputtered.

“Yes, I like guys. Is that gonna be a problem, Shigeru?” Kyoutani was joking but he also wasn’t. He was pretty sure Yahaba wasn’t gonna be a dick about this but he could never really be sure.

“No, no. I didn’t mean it like that. Like at all. I was just surprised.” Yahaba reassured and Kyoutani could almost see him waving his arms in that stupid, annoying, and endearing way he did when he was embarrassed. “I mean I like guys too.” He finally spat out. “And stop calling me that.”

“Nah,” Kyoutani smirked. But then he realized what Yahaba had actually said. He liked guys too? I mean Kyoutani couldn’t really say he was surprised. But he also would be lying if he said knowing that Yahaba swung that way didn’t give him hope.

“God, you’re the worst,” Yahaba pouted. “Then at least tell me your name.” 

“What if I don’t wanna?” Kyoutani asked, sitting up in his chair. Fuck he needed to come up with some grade-A bullshit really quick or he was really screwed.

“Too bad. You know mine so it’s only fair.” Yahaba demanded.

“Guess.” Kyoutani blurted the first that came to his mind and slumped forward in relief when it wasn’t something totally useless.

“What?” 

“Guess. I’ll tell you if you’re right.” Kyoutani pushed.

“No, just tell me,” Yahaba argued.

“No, if you wanna know you’ll just have to guess.” This was the only way to get out of this mess. There was no way Yahaba would guess that his name was Kentarou and if he did Kyoutani would just have to lie. He could also keep him guessing forever. Or at least as long as these calls went on.

“Fine,” Yahaba conceded. “Akihiko?”

“Nope.” Yeah, Kyoutani smiled to himself, this would work.

“Hiroshi?”

“No.”

“Takashi?”

“Also no.”

“Seiji?” 

“How many more times are you gonna guess?” Kyoutani finally asked.

“Until I get it,” Yahaba insisted. Kyoutani may have underestimated how stubborn he was.

“My shift is gonna end before then,” Kyoutani pointed out. 

“Ugh, fine,” Yahaba huffed. “But I will guess it tomorrow.”

“Sure you will, Shigeru,” Kyoutani chuckled.

“God, I hate you.” Yahaba seethed.

“Aw, that’s not very nice. You’ll hurt my feelings,” Kyoutani drawled. Then he remembered that this was Yahaba, not just some guy and he wasn’t supposed to flirt with him. Except Yahaba didn’t know that. Had Kyoutani someone created himself an alter ego here? Well, as long as he gets to flirt with Yahaba and Yahaba flirts back he’ll take it. 

“Good, I hope it does hurt,” Yahaba was trying to sound firm but he still just sounded flustered. Kyoutani loved it.

“Ouch, so mean,” Kyoutani whined.

“Call me tomorrow.” Yahaba hung up before he could answer. Kyoutani sighed and laid his forehead down on the desk in front of him. He let out a breathy laugh against the wood underneath him. Did talking to him before feel this good?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many days has it been since I updated? I am sorry lol
> 
> Don't worry my sister literally won't let me forget about this fic


	11. Get Dressed, Yahaba

Wednesday, April 22nd 6:53 pm

Yahaba really was good at focusing. Normally. Right now was a different story. He was sitting at the table and he had all his notes in front of him, completely ready for some serious revision, but instead, he was just staring blankly at the wall and viciously tapping his pen on the table. He was at his grandma’s. Not because he was waiting for the phone to ring or anything. No, it was just because his brothers were absolutely terrible at not being annoying little shits all the time and it was nice and quiet over here. 

His grandma was there obviously, but she was busy putting together a floral arrangement for Yahaba’s Aunt. She was stopping by tomorrow. His mom had insisted that it was just because it had been too long since they’d had a family dinner, but Yahaba knew better than that. Everyone knew better than that. 

Himari had a doctors appointment tomorrow.   
And his aunt was only coming to help deal with whatever the aftermath of that would be. 

The shrill ring of the phone cut off Yahaba’s less than pleasant train of thought. He jumped up from the floor, bumping the table in the process, and ran to the kitchen. 

“You’re too eager, Shigeru,” Himari called from where she was laughing at him from outside the open french doors, carefully organizing snapdragons. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He yelled back, ripping the phone out of the port while he slammed into the counter. 

“Hajime!” He shouted into the receiver as soon as he’d answered. There was no answer for long enough that Yahaba had to pull the phone away from his face and check that he’d pressed the right button.

“What?” The guy finally asked and Yahaba almost missed it because he was still holding it away from his ear.

“I’m guessing your name, duh,” He explained, turning to the counter and haphazardly moving stuff to the side.

“Oh, uh right,” The guy faltered. “Why did you guess that one?”

“Why? Does it matter?” Yahaba shot back, hopping up on the counter he had now successfully cleared. “But if you must know, I actually know a Hajime and you kinda seem like him.”

“I- You-” The guy kept starting but then cutting himself off again before he got anywhere. Yahaba had no idea what he had said that was so confusing. “Okay then.” The guy finished lamely.

“What, do you know a Hajime too?” Yahaba joked.

“Yeah, something like that,” The guy hesitated.

“Oh really? Small world,” Yahaba said, picking at the edge of the linoleum he was sitting on. “That explains why you’re being so weird.” 

“Well it’s not,” The guy stated. “My name I mean. Hajime isn’t my name.” 

“Tooru?” 

“Uh, no,” The guy didn’t answer right away and there was something off about his voice.

“Shinji?” 

“No,” His tone was firmer now.

“Kentarou?” He hadn’t really thought much about the names he was spouting but his heart jumped a little when he guessed this one. What if it was Kyoutani? That’d be some real specific brand of bullshit. But also Yahaba wouldn’t hate it. 

Who was he kidding he would love it.

“Where are you even getting these names from?” The guy asked, snapping Yahaba out of what he was sure were dangerous thoughts.

“Well, Hajime was on my volleyball team so now I’m just going through all my teammates' names,” Yahaba answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh, that makes sense,” The guy sounded weirdly relieved.

“Of course it does, I’m smart like that,” Yahaba affirmed. “Do you like volleyball?” He never gave up an opportunity to talk about volleyball. He might not have been as talented a setter or captain as Oikawa but he still loved the game.

“You? Smart?” The guy scoffed. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same idiot here?”

“Hey, that’s not nice,” Yahaba pouted.

“When was I ever nice, Shigeru?” The guy challenged and Yahaba once again thought about Kyoutani before he could stop himself. What if Kyoutani called him Shigeru like that? Nope, he promptly shut that line of thinking down and focused on dealing with this flirty asshole.

“God, either stop calling me that or tell me your name already.” Yahaba wanted to say he demanded it but it really just sounded like he was whining.

“Nah, I don’t think I will.” Yahaba was really starting to hate this guy’s voice. 

“Why do I even talk to you?” Yahaba snapped back.

“I don’t know, you tell me,” He could practically hear this stupid guy smirking.

“I think I’m starting to understand why you don’t have any friends,” Yahaba said, kicking the cupboard doors below him with his heels. 

“Wow, and you say I’m not nice,” The guy retorted. “Also you said you were my friend so what does that say about you?”

“That I have a high tolerance for idiocracy,” Yahaba insisted and he really did. He put up with Kyoutani on a daily basis. And his brothers.

“Damn, I’ll give you that one,” The guy conceded.

“Good, I deserve it,” Yahaba declared, happy to finally feel like he had the high ground. “And you never answered my question.” 

“What question?” The guy hesitated before answering and he didn’t really sound like he was actually confused. 

“Do you like volleyball?” Yahaba clarified anyway.

“Why do you care?” The guy avoided the question again. It wasn’t like it was a personal question or anything either and they’d already talked about much more personal stuff. It was weird as hell.

“Why are you so difficult?” Yahaba asked before continuing. “Obviously I wanna know if it’s something we have in common but you’re being seriously shady about it.”

“Nah, I just like pissing you off.” The guy denied. Once again avoiding the goddamn question.

“Are you sure your name’s not Kentarou because you seem to have a lot in common with him,” Yahaba said it without really thinking, but it was true. Not that this guy had any idea how much of a pain in the ass Kyoutani was or even who he was for that matter.

“What? No, it’s not.” The guy’s voice did something weird that Yahaba couldn’t really decipher. What the hell was going on on the other end of this call?

“Then what is it?” Yahaba pushed, hoping to maybe catch him off guard.

“None of your business.” It did not work.

“That’s bullshit,” Yahaba huffed. “You know my name, it’s only fair.”

“Life’s not fair, Shigeru,” Yahaba didn’t want to say that the guy purred that last sentence because he firmly believed that it was a cringy word that only deserved to exist in shitty fanfic, but here he was.

“I’m gonna kill you,” Yahaba seethed. He was so done with this asshole. And by done he meant that he was annoyed by how much he was aware he was enjoying this. 

“How? You don’t even know my name.” No, screw that he was really done.

“Fuck. you.” 

“You wish.”

“I’m hanging up on you,” Yahaba warned.

“See you tomorrow, Shigeru.” Yahaba just caught the guy laughing before he pulled the receiver away from his face. He slammed the phone back into the port, crossing his arms over his chest and slumping back against the counter. He tried to glare at the fridge but he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. He was really starting to get in too deep. 

Thursday, April 23rd 5:15 pm 

The coaches let practice end early and Yahaba was both thankful and devastated. On one hand, he got to go home earlier and hear whatever news, good or bad, awaited him. On the other hand, he had to go home and deal with that news sooner. He kinda just wished he could like melt into the floor. Or maybe just hide in his locker forever, he’d probably fit (he wouldn’t).

“Yahaba?” Watari said from the locker beside him. “Do you want me to come home with you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Watari asked again. Yahaba saw Kyoutani looking at them over Watari’s shoulder. Their eyes met as Yahaba nodded absently at Watari’s question. Yahaba went to move his gaze when it caught on a bit of black on Kyoutani’s right shoulder. He couldn’t actually make it out from where he was standing across the room but it looked like script sprawled across his collarbone. 

Yahaba pushed past Watari, ignoring the fact that he had stopped midway through changing and was not currently wearing a shirt. 

“Kyoutani, is that a tattoo?” Yahaba asked, stepping toward him. Kyoutani gave him a weird look before glancing down at his shoulder.

“Yeah?” He confirmed, looking back up at Yahaba.

“Since when?” Yahaba was close enough to make it out now. In neat handwriting, it read ‘you need both together’.

“Since I was sixteen,” Kyoutani stated with a raised eyebrow.

“Yahaba, did you really not notice?” Watari asked from behind him. That was when Yahaba realized that basically everyone in the room was looking at him. He felt his face and neck heat up.

“Oh, I guess I didn’t,” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Idiot.” Kyoutani laughed, grinning at Yahaba in the way he knew Yahaba hated.

“What does it even mean?” Yahaba snapped back, straightening up and staring the asshole down.

“It’s a quote from Mulan 2.” Kyoutani deadpanned without looking away. 

For a hot second, Yahaba was literally speechless.

“I- What?” He finally sputtered out. Kyoutani’s smug grin only got worse.

“You heard me.” 

“Actually I don’t think I did. I’m gonna need you to say it again.” Yahaba insisted, finally getting his shit back together.

“No can do, Captain.” He said, grabbing his bag from off the bench beside them and shutting his locker. “You should finish getting dressed.” With that, he turned and walked out of the locker room leaving Yahaba dazed and confused.

“Since when does he have a tattoo?” Yahaba asked, whirling back around to Watari.

“How did you not notice?” Watari ignored him. “Don’t you spend like all day staring at him?”

“Shut up, Watari.” He fumed, grabbing his shirt from his locker and yanking it over his head. “I don’t even fucking like him.” 

“Wow, denial is not a good colour on you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had something I was gonna say here but I forgot what it was.


	12. Please Tell Me

Thursday, April 23rd 6:47 pm 

Kyoutani spun around in his chair, staring at the ceiling. He had called a few people already but hadn’t gotten any answers yet. Swiveling back to his desk and glancing at the sticky note still stuck to the side of his monitor, he typed the number written on it into the call bar. He didn’t need to look at the post-it anymore, having long since memorized the number, but he wouldn’t risk throwing it away. Especially now that he knew it was actually Yahaba.

Yahaba.

Kyoutani found himself thinking about that stupid guy more and more lately. Which is pretty impressive considering he already took up most of Kyoutani’s thoughts before these calls started. But now they were spending their mornings together and not fighting as much and talking on the phone four days a week. Not that Yahaba knew about that last one. 

Fucking Yahaba. 

Had he seriously never noticed Kyoutani’s tattoo before? It’s not like it was new and it wasn’t like Yahaba didn’t see him practically naked every day. Everyone else knew he had it. Not that they’d asked Kyoutani about it. His reputation for being an aggressive asshole stopped any prying questions like that from reaching him. Unless it’s Yahaba, of course. In that case, those questions get asked without hesitation since Yahaba doesn’t seem to be even a little bit scared of him for some reason. Especially since he threw Kyoutani into a wall and yelled at him.

And he couldn’t believe he'd actually answered Yahaba’s question. He had never intended to let anyone know what it meant. Aside from Yuzuki of course, considering she had the other half of the quote. Which was another piece of information that Yahaba never needed to know. Kyoutani wasn’t embarrassed about being so close to his sister but he was also painfully aware that it undercut his reputation. 

But he did have to admit that Yahaba’s reaction made it worth giving him the slightly embarrassing information that Kyoutani has a quote from an underrated Disney movie tattooed on him.

Speaking of messing with Yahaba, as much as Kyoutani normally enjoyed it, today wasn’t as fun as it should have been. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up with Yahaba. He barely yelled a Kyoutani all day, even when he 100% deserved it. And then in the locker room after practice he’d been quieter than normal and if Watari was concerned too it must have been something bad. Kyoutani’s chest and stomach felt uncomfortably tight.

He was frustrated that he didn’t have the answers. He was even more frustrated that the reason he didn’t have answers was because he wasn’t even friends with Yahaba. No matter how much he wanted to be. 

But when he called Yahaba at work he was his friend. 

Of course, he’ll just call him and if Yahaba is acting even a little weird he can ask about it. He can be a friend to Yahaba even if Yahaba doesn’t know it’s him.

He clicked the call button.

His headset rang.

And rang again.

And again, and again, and again.

And then went to voicemail.

Himari’s voice prattled on about leaving a message, but Kyoutani was too stunned to listen. 

The sharp, automated beep pulled him out of his stupor just fast enough to hang up before he actually left a message. The ‘call ended’ message stared back at him.

Yahaba didn’t answer.

Friday, April 24th 5:29 am

The rest of Kyoutani’s night had been uncomfortable, to say the least. After he called Yahaba he spent an hour agonizing over whether or not he should try again. Right before his shift ended he’d said ‘fuck it’ and tried again but there was still no answer. He tried not to think about it too hard but in the end, he could barely sleep. It had been a long time since worry kept him up at night.

He woke up before his alarm and ended up waiting outside the gym fifteen minutes earlier than normal. He was sitting against the wall and scrolling through his phone, but he wasn’t really looking at his screen, it was more just something to do with his hands. 

Yahaba was late.

Not by much, barely a few minutes, but it was enough to make Kyoutani’s stomach roll.

He shut off his phone, tapping it against his knee instead, hard enough that Yuzuki would scold him for it. He couldn’t help it though. Every second that went by without Yahaba showing up pushed him further into this increasing pit of anxiety. He felt like a pot of water stuck just before boiling. 

Finally, he saw Yahaba round the corner of the gym. He jumped up and stepped toward him, ready to spout some stupid bullshit about Yahaba being late, but then he really looked at him. His hair was a mess, which was basically treason for Yahaba, and it looked like he hadn’t even tried to put his clothes on properly. But the thing that really made Kyoutani stop in his tracks was his face. 

His eyes were puffy and red and had deep circles carved underneath them. He usually greeted Kyoutani with a sneer or a pompous grin but today his lips were pulled down into a frown that made the pit in Kyoutani’s stomach ache even more. 

Yahaba didn’t even look at him. Instead, he just walked by him and fumbled to pull his keys out of his pocket.

“Hey,” Kyoutani almost whispered, grabbing Yahaba’s shoulder as gently as he could manage. “Yahaba?”

He ignored Kyoutani, shrugging his hand off and pushing the door opened. Kyoutani followed him in.

“Hey,” Kyoutani was trying really hard not to raise his voice. “Seriously, Yahaba, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t pretend like you care, Kyoutani. Just-” He stopped walking now, but he still didn’t turn around. “Just leave me alone.” 

“No.” Kyoutani knew he wasn’t good at being comforting and he knew that Yahaba had no reason to trust him with anything and that he really probably should have just left it alone, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave Yahaba like this. “What’s wrong.” 

“Jesus Christ, Kyoutani,” Yahaba did turn around this time. Stalking right up to Kyoutani, grabbing a fist full of his shirt and pulling him forward. “Fuck. Off.” 

“No.” Kyoutani wasn’t backing down. Not when he could see the tears forming in Yahaba’s eyes. 

“Please, just-” A choked sob cut off the end of his sentence. His hand was still clenched in Kyoutani’s shirt. 

“Yahaba,” Kyoutani tried again, putting his hand over Yahaba’s. “Please tell me what happened.” He said please but his tone made it more of a demand.

Yahaba really did start crying then. Ugly crying. Tears and snot were running down his face and Kyoutani really didn’t know what to do. After a few seconds of internal panic, he gave in and pulled Yahaba into his arms.

Yahaba’s arms were folded in between them, but he didn’t try to push Kyoutani away. Instead, he pressed his face into Kyoutani’s shoulder. Kyoutani didn’t know what to do now. The only person he had ever comforted was Yuzuki. But this was Yahaba and Yahaba deserved to be comforted. Kyoutani laid his hand on the back of Yahaba’s head, holding just firmly enough to hopefully be reassuring. Yahaba shuddered against him, sobbing into his shirt. Kyoutani felt his hands still clutching the fabric. He decided right then that he would do whatever he could to never have to see Yahaba like this again. 

“It’s my grandma,“ Yahaba croaked out between shuttering breaths. “She’s- She has Alzheimers.” 

“Oh.” He didn’t know much about Alzheimers but what he did know wasn’t good. “I’m sorry.” He whispered into the top of Yahaba’s head, hugging him tighter.

“I already knew. We all already knew, but-” Yahaba looked so small against Kyoutani’s chest and Kyoutani never wanted to let him go. 

“I know, it’s okay.” He mumbled, trying to be reassuring.

“It’s not okay, she’s-” Yahaba broke off, sucking in a sharp breath. He lifted his head, looking at Kyoutani. His face was twisted half way between pain and anger. “She’s gonna forget me, Kyoutani.” 

“Yeah,” Kyoutani didn’t think there was anything he could say that would change that. “Yeah, I know, but you’ll be okay.” 

“How?” Yahaba's eyes were full of everything but hope and his grip on Kyoutani’s shirt was tightening.

“Because you’re you, and you’ll get through it,” Kyoutani admitted softly, looking away from him.

Yahaba’s hand softened against Kyoutani’s chest and he looked away too.

“Oh,” He mumbled. The air was thick with whatever weird tension they’d created while they were both too worked up to notice. 

Yahaba’s tears had stopped flowing now and Kyoutani was being to actually realize what exactly he had just done. Kyoutani looked at Yahaba again, he seemed a little bit better now, but he was still leaning against Kyoutani. 

“Right,” Kyoutani started, grabbing Yahaba by the shoulders and standing him up straight. “We’ve got a practice to set up for, so you’re gonna go and clean yourself up and I’m going to set up and then by the time everyone shows up you will once again be the annoying and amazing captain we all know and love. Got it?”

“Uh, yeah.” Yahaba tried to wipe his face off with his hand but he really was too much of a mess for it to help. Stepping back, Yahaba took a few steadying breaths before looking back at Kyoutani. “Thank you.” 

“Don’t mention it,” Kyoutani dismissed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Now go.”

Yahaba gave him a watery smile before turning and heading toward the locker room. Kyoutani turned the other way, walked into the equipment room, closed the door behind him, and slumped back against it. 

Holy shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry


	13. You're a Traitor, Watari

Friday, April 24th 6:51 pm

Yahaba was starting to think he was gonna fail his classes at this point. Every time he sat down to study he ended up thinking about something else, normally Kyoutani. At the present moment, Kyoutani was only half of the problem. There was very obviously the entire ‘my grandma has Alzheimer's and that's just a whole load of bullshit I’m not ready to deal with’ thing on his mind, but also Kyoutani comforted him. Like, held him while he cried and told him everything was gonna alright and was actually nice to him. Because of all of that, yesterday was a complete write off for studying so he needed to make it up now. At least it was Friday so he had the weekend to work too. 

Despite the fact that it’s his best subject, he’d been struggling through his modern literature reading for the past hour. Usually, he breezes through books simply because he really enjoys them, but not today. Today he was reading the same paragraph five times and still not actually comprehending any of it. 

He sighed, flopping backwards onto the floor. This wasn’t working. 

Maybe he should give himself a break. It had been a long few days, to say the least. 

“Working hard, or hardly working, Shigeru?” Himari appeared above him, hands on her hips and eyebrows raised. 

“Ugh please put me out of my misery,” He groaned, aggressively rubbing his face.

“No can do,” She offered her hand. Yahaba took it, still mostly using his own strength to pull himself up. She was a fragile old lady, after all. Once he was standing she took his other hand as well.

“Shigeru, I know that the last couple days have been-” She paused, searching for the right word. “Overwhelming,” she finally landed on.

“That’s an understatement,” Yahaba joked lightly. Himari smiled before continuing.

“But we’re gonna be alright,” She said, pulling him into a hug “I promise.”

“You better keep that promise,” Yahaba tried to laugh, but it was more sad than amused. He really didn’t think it was going to be alright.

“Come on,” She pulled away. “You need a break.” 

Himari pulled him out into the garden and over to the bush of forget-me-nots. Plucking a flower from the patch with practiced movements, she turned back to Yahaba. 

“Shigeru,” She began seriously, “I promise you, no matter what happens, I will never forget you.” She tucked the little blue flower behind his ear before cupping his face between her hands and looking directly into his eyes. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” He smiled softly. They both knew that was a promise that she really wouldn’t be able to keep, but he went along with it anyway. “Okay.”

The moment was broken by the faint ring of the phone from inside the house.

“Oh, it’s probably your lover boy, Shigeru.” Himari dropped her hands to his shoulders, pushing him towards the sound. “You better get it.” 

“Lover boy? Really?” Yahaba questioned while walking towards the door.

“No, you’re right. Your lover boy is that Kyoutani kid,” Himari shouted after him.

“That’s even worse!” Yahaba picked up the phone.

“You’re still calling me?” He asked in a fake annoyed voice. He had never properly greeted this guy before, he wasn’t going to start now.

“You’re still answering?” The guy shot back. 

“Answering is not nearly as damning as calling.” Yahahba pointed out, leaning against the counter. Talking to this guy really made the weight fall off Yahaba’s shoulders. Which probably should be concerning considering he’s basically a stranger.

“Fair enough, but I have a reason for calling,” The guy defended.  
  
“You do?” Yahaba honestly couldn’t remember what the excuse behind these calls was anymore.

“Did you forget already, Shigeru?” The guy teased. “I’m calling with the explicit purpose of scamming you.”

“Well, you’re doing a pretty poor job of achieving that goal,” Yahaba informed him.

“Damn, and here I was trying so hard,” The guy said, dripping with sarcasm.

“You’re such an ass,” Yahaba meant to say it meanly but he ended up laughing through it.

“Yep,” He agreed shamelessly. “So why didn’t you pick up yesterday?”

“Awe, did you miss me?” Yahaba didn’t hesitate to taunt. 

“Not even a little,” The guy immediately refuted. “Nice deflection though.” 

“It wasn’t a deflection,” Yahaba insisted.

“Sure it wasn’t,” The guy said, disbelievingly. 

“Maybe I didn’t answer because I didn’t want to talk to you,” Yahaba sassed. It was a total lie but he didn’t need to know that.

“Oh? Really?” The guy had the nerve to laugh. Yahaba hated him, he really did. “Then why did you answer today,” 

“The world will never know,” He evaded, fully jumping up to sit on the counter now.

“God, and you call me an ass.” The guy scoffed.

“I don’t know what you could possibly be implying there,” Yahaba said, decisively changing the subject. “Are you finally gonna tell me your name?”

“I told you, you have to guess,” The guy nagged.

“You’re the worst,” Yahaba seethed “Wakatoshi?” 

“Nope.”

“Kiyoomi?”

“Guess again.”

“Wakatsu?”

“Not even close. Where are you pulling these ones from?” The guy asked before Yahaba could keep going.

“They’re the top three aces in the high school volleyball circuit and since you remind me so much of my ace I figured they were appropriate,” Yahaba explained. 

“Your ace?” The guy asked hesitantly. Yahaba didn’t really understand why.

“Yeah, Kentarou,” Yahaba clarified anyway.

“Oh.” The guy had gone weirdly quiet. “Right.” 

“You know what, fuck it. If you aren’t gonna tell me your real name I’m just gonna call you Kentarou from now on,” Yahaba decided, while also deciding to give the weird behaviour a pass. For a second he considered if calling this guy that he flirted with talked to everyday Kentarou was really a good idea. You know, for the sake of his sanity. But let’s be honest, who needs sanity? 

“No.” The guy protested, just a little too quickly. “No. Do not call me that.”

“Too late, it’s already decided, Kentarou.” Honestly, this guy got touchy about the weirdest things.

“No it’s not, stop it.” The guy sounded kinda frantic now and it was a new look on him. Or a new sound was probably more accurate. 

“Nah, I don’t think I will,” Yahaba continued to tease. Why wouldn’t he when this guy’s reaction was so good?

“Fuck you.” The line disconnected before Yahaba even had a chance to fully register what had been said. The guy had actually sounded kinda angry though. Had Yahaba gone too far?

No, if that guy really didn’t want Yahaba to call him that he should have just told him his name. Why wouldn’t he tell Yahaba his name in the first place? 

Saturday, April 25th 11:45 am

Yahaba was going to throw his pen at Watari’s mouth if he had the audacity to open it again. And his aim was good. 

Why was he about to assault his best friend? Because he’s a traitor and a snake.

“Seriously, Yahaba, you’re overreacting,” Watari said calmly, without even looking up from his textbook.

“No, I’m not,” He said. True to his word, he lined up his shot and threw his pen at Watari’s face. Watari leaned forward to dig through his bag at the same time and the pen just flew sadly over his head. Yeah, that’s about how Yahaba’s life is going right now. 

“We both need help and he’s the top of the class, it just makes sense that we’d ask him.” Watari didn’t even notice what had just happened.

“No, it doesn’t!” Yahaba stood up forcefully and sulked his way over to where his pen was abandoned on the ground. “No one, and I mean no one, asks Kyoutani for help,” He continued, turning around and pouting at Watari. “No one asks him anything, because he’s an absolute asshole.”

“Yahaba we both know you’re into that asshole and that’s the only reason you’re so upset about this.” Watari’s indifference was really starting to piss Yahaba off.

“God, what are you? My mom? I don’t need a lecture.” He huffed, dropping back down beside Watari.

“Yes, you do. We both do. Because this-” Watari held up Yahaba’s last biology assignment, showing off the less than impressive grade. “Is not gonna fix itself.” 

“So, we can study without him,” Yahaba insisted. 

“We’ve been doing that all semester and it hasn’t gotten us anywhere,” Watari put the paper back on the table and sighed. “We need help and Kyoutani is that help.” 

“Kyoutani doesn’t know what the word help means.” Yahaba crossed his arms over his chest even though he was aware it made him look like a toddler. 

“Are you being a bitch about this because of what happened yesterday?” Watari questioned, ignoring Yahaba’s complaints.

“Well, I mean that really isn’t helping this situation, is it?” Yahaba said, moving his arms more than he normally did. “We barely even talked after that. What if it’s like awkward? I mean he saw me at my literal worst. Not to mention he literally hates me.” 

“Yahaba,” Watari turned and faced him. “That boy went out of his way to make sure you were okay and then covered for you after, do you really think he hates you?” 

“Yes?” 

“Wow, okay you two deserve each other.” Watari turned back to his work, once again ignoring Yahaba. 

“You’re the worst friend ever, you know that,” Yahaba sighed, turning back to his work as well.

“I’m aware.” 

Yahaba was staring at a diagram of meiosis when the knock came. He whipped his head towards the door, which was in clear view from where they were seated at Watari’s living room table. 

“You’re so dramatic,” Watari sighed as he stood to answer it. Yahaba just stuck his tongue out at his friends' back. 

This was not how he expected his Saturday to go. Yahaba had woken up ready to spend the entire day drowning in school work on Watari’s floor, not freaking out over his maybe not so little crush on their team’s resident Mad Dog and the fact that said crush would be teaching him biology. Which honestly was more embarrassing than Yahaba wanted to admit. He took pride in being a good student, but he really sucked at biology. The only reason he was even passing so far was because Watari was slightly better than him. 

Yahaba watched as Watari opened the door and greeted Kyoutani, who barely acknowledged it. He looked down at his textbook again as they came into the room. Watari sat down across the table from Yahaba, gesturing for Kyoutani to sit beside Yahaba.

“Yahaba needs more help so you should sit there,” He explained, dragging his textbook over to where he was sitting. Yahaba was going to kill him. 

“Oh really? Who would have guessed that our captain’s weakness is cell division,” Kyoutani ridiculed, sitting down beside Yahaba. 

“Shut up.” Yahaba was so over all of this.

“That’s not how you should talk to the person who’s saving your grade,” Kyoutani smirked. Yahaba wanted to slap the stupid smug look off his face. 

“Just help me,” He conceded, pushing his textbook over to Kyoutani. “Please,” He added even though it nearly pained him to say it. 

Kyoutani didn’t answer, just started looking over the page Yahaba had opened.

“What don’t you get?” He asked after a minute.

“I can’t figure out the number of chromosomes,” Yahaba admitted, looking away from Kyoutani to glare at Watari. Just for good measure.

“Okay, so in somatic cells you have-” Kyoutani started to explain. Yahaba looked at him again and realized how at ease he seemed. In general, Kyoutani just always looked like he was ready for a fight, but now he seemed different. His eyes weren’t as intense as they normally were and his posture was almost relaxed. Yahaba nearly forgot to pay attention to what he was saying. He focused on his voice again and moved his eyes back down to the diagram Kyoutani was explaining. Right, they were studying, because that’s something they do now apparently.

He could totally make it through the rest of the day. No biggie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always feel like I have write something here but I literally never know what.


	14. Are You Serious, Ken?

Sunday, April 26th 10:34 am

“So how was your study date yesterday?” Yuzuki asked over the rim of her mimosa glass. Kyoutani just stared back at her.

“It wasn’t a date.” He finally answered. It wasn’t, they weren’t even alone. 

“Are you sure about that?” She pressed.

“Yes.” He insisted. Unfortunately, he was aware that she was going to continue this conversation whether he wanted to or not. “I was just helping them study and Yahaba didn’t even ask me. Watari did.” 

“Yeah, but I guarantee that he only asked because he knew Yahaba wouldn’t,” She argued, setting her glass down.

“No, he asked because he saw my last test grade.” Kyoutani really would rather they talked about Yuzuki’s social life like they normally did at brunch. 

“Okay, maybe that was part of it.” She nodded, leaning back in her chair.

“No that was all of it,” Kyoutani pushed. 

“Agree to disagree,” She brushed him off, going back to eating her food.

“No. You’re wrong,” Kyoutani crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her from across the table. Yuzuki was usually right but if he believed her now that would just give him useless hope and he didn’t need hope.

“Ken, are you serious?” 

“Yes.” She was the one who started this in the first place. 

“Fine,” She sighed, dropping her fork and leaning towards him. “Let’s review the facts then, shall we?” 

“Fine,” He huffed back.

“You like Yahaba.” He immediately opened his mouth to protest, but Yuzuki shot him a look before he could. “Yahaba isn’t scared of you like everyone else, you’ve been spending all your mornings together and he hasn’t told you to get lost once. His best friend has asked you to hang out with them multiple times, and last but certainly not least, he literally had a breakdown in front of you and let you hold him while he wept.” 

“Your point?” He asked. He knew what she was getting at but again, he didn’t need useless hope. 

“I swear to god, you are so stupid,” She let out another exasperated breath before she elaborated. “My point is that he obviously likes you back, so stop fucking around and go get your man.” 

“No he doesn’t.” Kyoutani insisted again. Because Yahaba didn’t like him. Yahaba barely tolerated him.

“Fine, then just try not actively being an asshole to him. Do you think you can manage that much?” She said in her mom voice. Kyoutani hated the mom voice. 

“I hate you.” He seethed.

“Yep.”

Monday, April 27th 8:43 pm

Kyoutani didn’t have friends. That was one thing that had always been a given for him. He had Yuzuki and volleyball and that was all he needed. But here he was, one his way home from Watari’s house for a second time within three days.

He didn’t mind Watari. He was probably the most tolerable person on the team. Except for Iwaizumi. But being able to tolerate someone and actively going to their house were not the same things. 

Not to mention that it wasn’t just Watari either. Yahaba was there too and as much as Kyoutani hated to admit it, they really were almost friends now. Yahaba didn’t even seriously yell at him today. They weren’t like best friends now or anything, but they weren’t at each other’s throats anymore either. 

It was good. Or something like that.

He was halfway up the stairs to the floor that his and Yuzuki’s apartment was on when he heard the yelling. He couldn’t make out what they were yelling about but it sounded like a guy. At first, he thought it was just one of their neighbours, but then he recognized the voice. 

His feet moved before his brain did and he was up the rest of the stairs before he even realized he was running. 

They were standing in front of the door. The guy was waving his arms around and shouting. Yuzuki was standing with her back pressed against the wall. Kyoutani saw her already bruising cheek and split lip and then he saw red. 

He’s not really sure what happened after that. 

Ten minutes later he was sitting at the kitchen counter with an ice pack on his eye while Yuzuki wrapped his knuckles.

“You shouldn’t have punched him.” She muttered, eyes still focused on Kyoutani’s hand. If he was being totally honest he hadn’t exactly meant to punch him. It was just a reaction. Not that he regretted it, that asshole deserved it. 

“You’re right, I should have done worse.” He agreed. He was serious, but he said it more like a joke hoping to lighten the mood. She choked out a laugh before finally looking at him.

“I’m serious, you’re gonna get in trouble for getting into a fight.” She tried to sound firm, but she was smiling too much for it to really have any effect.

“Probably,” He agreed, putting the ice pack down on the table. “But I wasn’t gonna break my promise of kicking his ass if he ever came back here.” He remembered making that promise all too well. It had only been a few months since then but it felt like forever ago. He never wanted to see Yuzuki that scared again.

Yuzuki really did laugh this time. She dropped Kyoutani’s hand and pulled him into a hug instead. “Thank you, Ken.” She mumbled into his shoulder. “But I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be the one protecting you, not the other way around.” 

“Hey, you should let me return the favour once in a while,” He said, hugging her back. She already did protect him. She had already done so much for him and beating up her abusive ex was the least he could do to start paying her back for that. “One alone is not enough, right?” He continued, tapping her left shoulder where those words were tattooed. “You need both together,” He finished.

“God, when do you become so sentimental? Aren’t you supposed to be all growly and angry all the time?” She questioned, pulling back.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kyoutani rolled his eyes. He was thankful that she didn’t seem too shaken up about what had happened.

“Seriously though,” She said, her smile dropping. “Thank you.”

“Please, I’m sure you would have done the same if I had been any later.” He brushed her off. And he wasn’t just saying it, Yuzuki could hold her own in a fight no problem.

“You’re right,” She began, double-checking that his hand was properly taken care of. “I was about to elbow him in the gut before you showed up.” 

“You should have done it anyway,” He mused, letting her fret over him.

“Yeah, I should have.” She admitted, hugging him again. “I never should have gone out with him in the first place.” 

“Hey, none of this was your fault.” He told her softly. 

“Yeah, I know but-” She broke off. Kyoutani knew what she meant anyway.

“Alright, come on.” He pushed her off of him, standing up as well and herding her towards the TV. “We’re watching shitty comedies until we pass out on the couch.”

“Yeah. That sounds like a good plan.” 

“Of course it is. My plans are always good.” They sat down on the couch together and Kyoutani took a minute to really check over her face. Her lip was bandaged already, Kyoutani had insisted she got taken care of before him, and the bruise wasn’t that bad. She got through this before, she would get through it again. And Kyoutani would help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the part where they actually get together is coming


	15. Fuck Off, Yahaba

Tuesday, April 28th 6:06 am

Yahaba’s morning was already thrown off its rhythm and it was barely six. Kyoutani wasn’t waiting for him outside the gym this morning. Which was weird because he had been there every day for weeks now and Yahaba couldn’t think of a reason that would make today any different. Kyoutani had even come over to help him and Watari study again yesterday so clearly there wasn’t anything awkward left over from last week. Why the hell wasn’t he here yet. 

Yahaba had spent the last 35 minutes waiting for him to show up, but instead, every other team member had arrived with no sign of Kyoutani at all.

The team was doing warm up when he finally walked in. Yahaba looked up when he heard the door open but Kyoutani kept his head down, heading straight for the locker room. Yahaba followed him. 

“Why are you late?” He asked as soon as the door shut behind them, folding his arms over his chest and staring at Kyoutani’s back.

“Overslept.” That was all the explanation Kyoutani offered, opening his locker and still not looking at Yahaba.

“You overslept? That’s it?” Yahaba pushed, he knew he should probably just let it go but things had been going so well between them lately and now Kyoutani was just completely icing him out.

Kyoutani didn’t say anything else, just grunted and went to pull his shirt off. When he reached for the hem, Yahaba noticed his right hand was wrapped. 

“Hey,” Yahaba called and Kyoutani paused. “What happened to your hand?” 

“Nothing,” Kyoutani mumbled, removing his shirt. 

“It’s not nothing, can you even play with your hand like that?” Yahaba moved closer to him. “Let me see.” 

“It’s fine,” Kyoutani brushed him off, tugging on his practice shirt.

“No, it’s not.” Yahaba was right beside him now, but Kyoutani was still avoiding looking at him. Something wasn’t right. “Seriously, let me see.” Kyoutani had gone out of his way to help Yahaba the other morning, it was the least he could do to return the favour.

Kyoutani must have realized that Yahaba wasn’t going to leave him alone because he sighed heavily before holding his hand out. Yahaba took it carefully and started inspecting it. He uncurled Kyoutani’s fingers and pushed lightly on the bandaged knuckles.

“Does it hurt?” He asked. Kyoutani just shrugged. Yahaba dropped his hand and huffed. “Kyoutani, look at me.” 

For a second, Yahaba thought he wasn’t going to listen but eventually Kyoutani turned towards him. Yahaba took in a sharp breath when he saw the barely concealed bruise around Kyoutani’s left eye. 

“What the hell happened?” He asked softly, reaching out to touch Kyoutani’s face without thinking.

“It’s none of your business.” Kyoutani jerked his head away and Yahaba realized what he was about to do. 

Right, Kyoutani hated him. That didn’t change the fact that Yahaba was worried.

“Not my business?” Yahaba marvelled, annoyed and upset that Kyoutani really thought that little of him. “Of course it’s my business! You could get suspended for this and if you got suspended you wouldn’t be able to play anymore and the team needs you. Seriously, what the hell were you thinking?” Yahaba shouted. He was up in Kyoutani’s face now. He knew he was going too far and that Kyoutani didn’t have to tell him shit, but he was upset and not good at dealing with his feelings. “How is this not my business?” 

“I’m so sorry to inconvenience your precious team, Shigeru, but it’s still none of your damn business.” Kyoutani snapped back, leaning into Yahaba too so they were almost nose to nose.

Yahaba flinched back at his words. He didn’t mean to make it sound like he cared more about the team than Kyoutani, but more importantly, Kyoutani had just called him Shigeru. 

Kyoutani just called him Shigeru and it sounded familiar. 

Like really familiar.

Like exactly like when his scam caller said it. 

There was no fucking way.

Kyoutani had backed off now too, and Yahaba could tell that he was still angry but he also wouldn’t meet Yahaba's eyes. 

“What did you just call me?” Yahaba asked after a moment.

“Nothing. Forget it.” Kyoutani was shutting his locker now even though he was only half changed.

“You’re-” Yahaba cut himself off before he could finish. There was no way that he really has been talking to Kyoutani. No way in hell. But it all made so much sense now, the not telling Yahaba his name and being weird about volleyball and holy shit, Yahaba had started calling him Kentarou and he fucking hung up. “It’s you,” Yahaba finally finished, poking his finger into Kyoutani’s chest. “You’ve been calling me for weeks and you knew it was me and you didn’t fucking tell me.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kyoutani denied, hitting Yahaba’s hand away and pushing past him. 

“Wait, hey,” Yahaba shouted, turning around but Kyoutani was already halfway to the door. “Kyoutani.” 

“Fuck off, Yahaba,” Kyoutani spat out before slamming the door shut behind him.

What the fuck just happened.

Kyoutani was his scam caller. 

How the hell had he not noticed? They sound exactly the same and he had thought that multiple times. They were the same age, they both had older sister’s they were close with, he refused to talk about volleyball or tell Yahaba his name, and he’d reacted weirdly to their teammates' names. Yahaba had even told him that he reminded Yahaba of Kyoutani. 

Jesus christ he’s such an idiot.

Wednesday, April 29th 7:34 pm

Yahaba started to worry when Kyoutani didn’t come to afternoon practice yesterday. Then he worried even more when he didn’t call him. Although, he probably should have seen that one coming. Then Kyoutani didn’t show up to practice again today and Yahaba had spent the last two hours sitting in a puddle of guilt on his grandma’s couch desperately waiting for a call he knew wasn’t going to come.

So that’s how he ended up here. 

Outside Kyoutani’s door. 

Yep, this was a great idea. Showing up unannounced on the doorstep of the guy he likes. The guy who probably hates him now. And what was his brilliant plan? He had absolutely no excuse for being here but he just didn’t know what else to do. And he still didn’t actually know what happened to Kyoutani and that just made it so much worse. 

He was upset and confused and he just wanted to see Kyoutani.

He knocked on the door.

Pochi’s muffled barking was the first thing that greeted him. Then the door swung open to reveal Yuzuki, who was struggling to tie up her hair while trying to push the dog away from the door with her foot.

“Oh, Yahaba?” She asked once she looked up from where Pochi was still attempting to get past her. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, um,” Right, why would Kyoutani be the one to answer the door. “I was looking for Kyoutani.” 

“He’s at work.” Of course, he was at work, why hadn’t Yahaba thought of that. It wasn’t like he didn’t know his work schedule. Or rather he knew his scam caller’s schedule and Kyoutani just happened to be that scam caller. Yahaba was still having trouble wrapping his brain around that to be totally honest. 

“Oh,” He finally answered lamely. Yuzuki looked at him for a moment before pushing the door all the way open.

“Why don’t you come in,” She offered, gesturing behind her. 

“Yeah, okay.” He pulled off his shoes before following her into the house. Pochi followed him, rubbing her head against his hands as he walked. 

“What did you want with Ken?” She sat down on the couch, patting the spot beside her. Yahaba sat down as well, turning his body so he was facing her. Now that he really looked at her he could see her face was bruised too and her lip was busted. 

“What happened to you?” He asked before he could stop himself. Normally he had more tack than this but he was just so tired and confused.

“Oh,” She said, bringing her hand up to her mouth. The last time Yahaba met Yuzuki he was too preoccupied with Kyoutani to really pay that much attention, but now that it was just the two of them he realized how different the two Kyoutani’s were. At first, Yahaba was intimated by her, almost more so than he was intimidated by Kyoutani, but now that he was sitting on her couch she seemed way more friendly than her younger brother. “I almost forgot about that.”

“Did you fight with Kyoutani?” It would make sense if they were both beat up but Yahaba really didn’t think Kyoutani would punch his sister. Holy shit was Kyoutani actually a bad person? 

He was pulled out of that train of thought by Yuzuki’s laughter. 

“I’m sorry,” She mumbled through giggles. Yahaba would probably die of shock if Kyoutani laughed like that. “No, I didn’t fight with him.” 

“What happened then?” Yahaba was definitely more confused than he was when he got here. 

“He didn’t tell you?” She questioned back, pulling her legs up onto the couch and turning fully towards Yahaba.

“No.” As she moved, her cardigan fell down her shoulder and Yahaha could just see the words ‘one alone is not enough’ tattooed there. Just like Kyoutani’s tattoo. Kyoutani had a matching tattoo. With his sister. Seriously, what the fuck was happening. 

“Right, of course he wouldn’t,” She rolled her eyes before explaining. “He punched a guy for me.”

“Who?” 

“Just some asshole that couldn’t handle the fact that I dumped his sorry ass.” She said it like a joke but her expression was dark. Yeah no, she was just as intimidating as Kyoutani.

“Oh.” If that was true then he really was a dick. He didn’t mean to say that shit to Kyoutani, he was just worried. 

“Yeah,” Yuzuki trailed off. Pochi jumped up onto the couch between them. “So was that why you came here? To figure out who he beat up?” 

“No,” Yahaba said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, it was part of why I came, but he stopped coming to practice and calling me and I didn’t know what else to do.” Why was he telling all of this to Yuzuki? He felt weirdly comfortable with her, but she must just be good at getting people to talk if she can get Kyoutani to open up.

“Calling you?” Yuzuki questioned while rubbing Pochi’s head.

“Yeah, at his job,” Yahaba explained. Did she not know about Kyoutani’s job? 

“Wait,” She said, pushing her legs off the couch and leaning forward. “He was calling you at work?” She looked away and continued mumbling to herself. “What the hell? Is that why he’s been so happy lately, why the hell didn’t he tell me?” She turned to Yahaba again. “Wait, what happened?” Yahaba didn’t know what she meant when she said Kyoutani had been happy lately but he had slightly larger fish to fry at the moment.

“If he didn’t tell you I don’t think I should. I don’t want him to hate me more than I’m sure he already does.” Yahaba admitted sheepishly. If Kyoutani hadn’t told her there was probably a reason and he would probably be pissed that Yahaba had even come here to begin with.

“Please, my brother does not hate you.” Yuzuki scoffed

“He doesn’t?” Yahaba was pretty sure he did. Like really sure. 

“Not at all,” She chuckled. “He’s terrible at dealing with his shit and he might be kinda upset with you if he’s skipping practice, but I promise you he does not hate you.” 

“What should I do then?” At this point Yahaba didn’t even care about whether or not he had a chance at being something more with Kyoutani, he just wanted to be friends. If Kyoutani didn’t hate him then maybe they could at least get there. 

“Maybe apologize? Although I’m sure Ken also needs to apologize to you.” Yuzuki mused, ruffing the fur behind Pochi’s ears while she spoke. “Look, Yahaba, you like him right? So stop being a coward and do something about it.” She concluded without even looking up.

“I-” He was going to deny his feelings, but he’d been doing that for months and it hadn’t done him any good. “Right okay, I need to go,” He said instead, standing and heading towards the door. He paused and looked back at Yuzuki. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Oh and,” She said, finally looking up at him again. “If you break my brother’s heart I’ll kill you. Good luck.” 

Yeah, scratch that, she was definitely scarier than Kyoutani.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reading break has really just been me writing this fic and ignoring my assignments


	16. I Heard a Rumor, Ken

Wednesday, April 29th 8:43 pm

Kyoutani wanted to go to sleep. He also wanted to be able to go to practice and flirt with Yahaba over the phone but for obvious reasons that was off the table now. 

Tapping his foot against the sidewalk under him, he buried his hands into his pocket and sighed. 

He should have just stopped calling when he found out it was Yahaba. 

For a second he had really thought that maybe Yahaba felt the same way, or at least didn’t hate him. He should have known better. No, he did know better, but Yuzuki kept telling him he was wrong and Watari kept asking him to study and just, fuck. He was stupid to think that Yahaba saw him as anything other than a good volleyball player and a clutch tutor. 

And now Yahaba knew that he was lying about the scam calls. Or maybe not lying but he definitely wasn’t being honest. 

Whatever, he’d just go back to playing with the neighborhood team. It wouldn’t be the same, but at least it was still volleyball. 

When he got home Yuzuki was waiting for him, leaning against the counter like an overdramatic villain right before their climactic monologue. Holding a wine glass and everything. She had also strategically placed herself so she was blocking the path to Kyoutani’s room. 

“What?” He asked when she didn’t say anything, instead just staring him down.

“I found out something interesting tonight,” She drawled, taking a sip. It was rosé because she insisted it was the only acceptable type of wine.

“Are you gonna explain? Or just continue being extra as fuck?” Kyoutani snapped back. Like he said he wanted to go to sleep and she was in his way.

“I think you’re the one who needs to explain, Ken.” She stated, swishing her drink around in the glass. The look in her eye was one that Kyoutani had learned to fear a long time ago.

“What are you talking about?” This whole interaction was too much for him to deal with right now, especially considering he really didn’t know what the hell she was on about. He looked over at Pochi’s bed, where the dog was curled up, completely ignoring the two siblings. Well, it looked like Kyoutani was on his own for this one.

“I heard a rumor that you’ve been sharing sweet, romantic, scam calls with your crush and you didn’t tell me.” She put a hand over her heart in mock offense. 

“What?” Shit. He should have told her, if only to avoid her being mad about him not telling her. More importantly, though, how the hell did she find out?

“Yeah, I was surprised too, normally I’m the first person you tell about these things. In fact, I’m the only person you tell.” She lamented, pointedly looking away from him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Should he have kept lying? Probably not. He was pretty sure that Yuzuki was upset, no hurt, that he hadn’t told her this. He didn’t mean to make her feel like that but he never was good at controlling his pride. 

“Hmm,” Yuzuki took a moment to stare into his soul before she took another sip of wine and continued. “Yahaba stopped by a little while ago.” 

“What?” Under normal circumstances, Kyoutani would have been annoyed by how vague she was being, but he was a little too stuck on what she had just said to worry about that.

“Yeah, he was so worried about you it was almost embarrassing,” She pressed on with no regard for her brother’s current state of panic. He probably deserved that for not telling her about this whole situation in the first place. 

“Stop making shit up.” Kyoutani didn’t really think she was lying, but there was just no way that was true. Unless he was just mad that Kyoutani stopped showing up to practice again. Yahaba made it pretty clear the other day that Kyoutani was too important to the team for him to quit again. 

“I’m not.” She straightened up and put her wine glass down on the counter. “Look he told me that you’ve been skipping practice again and that you had been calling him at work but you stopped that too. I don’t know exactly what happened, because you neglected to tell me but I do know that you like him. You like him a lot. And that boy likes you back, so stop being a little bitch, apologize, and. Get. Your. Fucking. Man.” She crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter when she finished. 

“You really think he likes me?” He probably should have gotten more out of what she said, but that was really all he heard. Did Yahaba really like him too? 

“Ken, that boy is so gone on you that he showed up on our doorstep because he didn’t know what else to do.” Yuzuki insisted, fixing him with a firm gaze that he knew meant she knew she was right and he should know it too. 

“I don’t know what to do, I-” He stopped mid sentence as his eyes fell on the wilted and shriveled gardenia that was still sitting sadly in the cup on their windowsill. “I need to buy him flowers.” 

“That sounds like a good idea.” She agreed, picking up her wine glass again. 

“I’m going to bed now.” He stated, walking past her and toward his room.

“Are you gonna deal with this?” She asked, catching his arm as he went by.

“First thing tomorrow morning.” He affirmed. He couldn’t do much about this now, it was too late, but tomorrow. Tomorrow he was gonna stop running.

“Good, then good night.” She let go. He kept going and as he reached the door to his room he heard her call out. “And good luck.” 

“Thanks.”

Thursday, April 30th 12:06 pm

Kyoutani had never been to a flower shop before, but there was a first time for everything right? He wasn’t good with words and he knew that better than anyone, but Yahaba’s grandma may have handed him the perfect solution without even realizing it. Flowers could do the talking for him.

But flower shops weren’t opened at 5 am and he was barely functional at that hour anyway. He needed to sort this out before he saw Yahaba again so going to morning practice was out of the question. Instead, he was spending his lunch break sprinting to the nearest florist. 

He spent the rest of last night doing thorough research into what type of flowers mean ‘I’m sorry that I’m an asshole, but hey I’m actually secretly in love with you’. He didn’t find a definitive answer. 

He did find out that a lot of flowers mean basically the same thing but different colours mean different things and it just is generally a way too confusing subject. 

In the end, he settled on white tulips to say he was sorry and just to be sure that Yahaba knew exactly what he meant he bought a single red gardenia. 

He hurried back to the school once he’d bought them, which was one of the most awkward experiences of his life if he was being honest. He didn’t sprint because he was pretty sure the flowers wouldn’t survive that but he also wasn’t keen on being seen carrying them. 

Shit right, he had the flowers now but lunch was basically over and wow he did not think this through. There was no way he could talk to Yahaba now. 

He rushed through the school doors to his locker and carefully placed them inside. 

He’d talk to Yahaba before afternoon practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I made you wait so long, all those assignments I ignored last week got their revenge this week


	17. Fucking Finally

Thursday, April 30th 3:33 pm

The sun that was currently streaming through the club room window was way too cheery for Yahaba to deal with today. Kyoutani hadn’t come to morning practice again and Yahaba couldn’t find him anywhere at lunch either. They weren’t even in the same class so for all Yahaba knew he wasn’t even at school. 

How was he supposed to apologize if he couldn’t find that stupid asshole? Maybe not calling him a stupid asshole would be a good start.

When he got home after talking to Yuzuki, he had gone straight to his grandma to ask how he should apologize. 

It wasn’t helpful. 

She told him he should just give Kyoutani flowers, lilies of the valley or something, but Yahaba was well aware that most people didn’t understand flower meanings and of the few people that did, Yahaba was pretty sure Kyoutani wasn’t one. Besides he was good with words. He was a captain, after all, so he should be able to tell Kyoutani that he’s sorry without anything else.

Grabbing the file he needed for today’s practice he turned to leave the room again. 

Before he made it to the door, Kyoutani walked in. 

“Uh hey,” Kyoutani mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. His right arm was held behind his back and he wasn’t meeting Yahaba’s eyes.

“Oh, you’re here,” He cringed at his own voice. There were a million things he wanted to say but now that Kyoutani was here in front of him Yahaba couldn’t figure out how he was supposed to make words again. He was definitely not mentally prepared to talk things out so suddenly.

“We need to talk,” Kyoutani started, pulling Yahaba out of his thoughts. He shifted his weight around before he continued. “Or not talk, but,” He cut himself off with a frustrated sigh. “Just take these,” He finally blurted out, thrusting his right hand towards Yahaba. Clutched in his fist was a bouquet of white tulips with a single red gardenia in the center. 

“The white ones, the tulips, are supposed to mean you’re sorry.” Kyoutani continued pushing the flowers into Yahaba’s chest. “And the gardenia-” 

“Kyoutani,” Yahaba breathed out, staring down at where he was pressing the cold stems into Yahaba’s shirt. He slowly lifted his hands to take them from Kyoutani.

“You know what they mean don’t you?” Kyoutani dropped his hands and took a step back. He still hadn’t looked Yahaba in the eyes. He did know what they meant, but did that mean Kyoutani really did feel the same way? 

“Yeah,” Yahaba let his eyes linger on the flowers for a moment before flicking them back up to Kyoutani. “White tulips are for apologies, among other things, and the gardenia,” He trailed off closing the distance between them. “Kyoutani, will you look at me?” 

After a few seconds went by with no response, Yahaba decided to just say fuck it. Taking a hand off the bouquet, he laid it on Kyoutani’s shoulder. As he did, Kyoutani’s head snapped up, his eyes filled with the same intense fire Yahaba recognized from the court.

“I like you.” Kyoutani declared, eyes locked on Yahaba’s. Yahaba had guessed that was where this conversation was going but that didn’t prepare him for actually hearing the words. He was too stunned to do anything other than stare dumbly back at Kyoutani. 

“That was all I wanted to say.” Kyoutani pulled back, shaking Yahaba’s hand off and turning to leave. “I’ll see you at practice.” This was somehow Yahaba’s literal dream come true and simultaneously his worst nightmare. He never thought that Kyoutani would feel the same way but he did and Yahaba wanted to scream but instead, he was just standing here like an idiot while Kyoutani walked away. Again. 

Kyoutani only made it two steps before Yahaba finally reacted. Dropping the flowers, he moved forward and caught Kyoutani by the shoulder. Turning him around and pushing him up against the wall beside the door, Yahaba grabbed his face, forcing Kyoutani to look up at him.

“I like you too, asshole,” He blustered, squeezing Kyoutani’s cheeks harder than he probably needed too. “So don’t you dare run away again.” 

Yahaba watched Kyoutani’s eyes widen as he took in his words. Slowly, Kyoutani put his hand over the one Yahaba had on his face, pushing it off so he could talk.

“I won’t,” He promised, carefully letting his own hand fall to Yahaba’s hip. “I won’t run.”

“Good,” Yahaba smiled softly. “Then I’m gonna kiss you know.” 

That was all the warning Yahaba gave him before wrapping his hand behind the back of Kyoutani's neck and yanking him forward. 

And then they were kissing which was way farther than Yahaba had ever expected to get with Kyoutani. He spent months thinking Kyoutani hated him and months denying the fact that he didn't hate Kyoutani back. But here he was with Kyoutani’s arms around his waist and his own around Kyoutani’s neck. He let his hand move to the back of Kyoutani’s head, pushing through his stupid buzzcut that made him look like a bumblebee. He never wanted to stop.

But they were still in the club room and they definitely couldn’t stay here forever.

Breaking away, Yahaba let his forehead fall against Kyoutani’s. “We’re idiots, aren’t we?” 

“Yeah,” Kyoutani agreed, moving his head to look over Yahaba’s shoulder. “You really just threw those flowers on the floor even though I went through all that trouble to get them for you.” He teased from beside Yahaba’s head. 

“Shut up.” Yahaba felt his neck heat up and he couldn’t help but think it was a very delayed blush. “I was a little preoccupied with you.” 

“God, that sappy shit is gross,” He scoffed, pushing Yahaba away. Yahaba let him and was rewarded with the sight of Kyoutani’s red ears. 

“Says the guy who just confessed his love with a bouquet.” Yahaba turned around, walking towards the abandoned flowers and picking them up.

“I never said anything about love,” Kyoutani scoffed behind him.

“No, but the gardenia did.” He said, turning back to Kyoutani and pointing at the red flower with a smug smile plastered across his face.

“Shut up.” Yahaba was ready to keep bugging him but before he could his eyes caught the clock above the door.

“Shit,” He blurted. Kyoutani raised an eyebrow, probably about to ask him what was wrong, but Yahaba continued before he could. “We’re late for practice,” He finished, placing the flowers on the little desk in the corner of the room. He turned back to Kyoutani, grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door. Once they were both outside, he turned back to lock it. He could hear Kyoutani laughing behind him. 

Yahaba made them run all the way to the gym still pulling him along, hand in hand. He was the captain and by definition the last person that was supposed to be late. 

At least he had a good excuse.

Okay, it wasn’t really a good excuse but whatever. 

He dropped Kyoutani’s hand before they walked into the gym, but everyone turned to look at them as they entered regardless.

“Fucking finally,” Watari exclaimed loud enough that the coach shot him a disappointed look. He was unaffected. “The unresolved tension was literally killing me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yahaba insisted, but he was aware that his face was far too red for it to be even a little bit convincing. He glanced over a Kyoutani and was happy to see that he looked just as uncomfortable. 

“Sure you don’t,” Watari shot back. “Just go get changed so we can practice already.” 

Thursday, April 30th 6:47 pm

“You know, it really seems like you’re not focused,” Himari pointed out from the other side of the table. She was doing crosswords today, per her doctor's recommendation. Yahaba was supposedly studying. “Did something happen at school today?”

Normally Yahaba would have already told her what had happened but he also knew she was gonna be way too excited about it. 

“Maybe,” Yahaba hummed, debating just how much he should tell her.

“Does it have to do with those?” She inquired, nodding her head towards the tulips and single gardenia resting neatly in a clear vase on the kitchen counter.

“Maybe.” Yahaba tried to hold onto his poker face, but he failed, smiling instead.

“And did it also involve Kentarou?” She pressed.

“Maybe.” Yahaba was fully grinning now and futilely trying to cover it with the hand his chin was resting in. Himari opened her mouth, likely to say something embarrassing, but the phone rang before she had the chance,

“I’ll get it.” Yahaba saw his way out and took it, jumping up from the table and rushing to the kitchen.

“I’m sure you will,” She called after him, turning back to her crossword.

“Grandma,” Yahaba cringed. She laughed.

He decided to just ignore her, answering the phone instead. He smiled even harder than before at the familiar number.

“I almost thought I was going to be free of your calls now,” He confessed dramatically when the call connected.

“Oh, I’ll stop if that’s what you want.” Kyoutani didn’t hesitate to return his banter. Not ‘his scam caller’ but Kyoutani. Now that Yahaba knew who it was, he didn’t understand how he hadn’t realized it right from the start. 

“No you won’t,” Yahaba stated plainly.

“Are you sure about that?” Kyoutani wasn’t backing down and Yahaba wasn’t going to either. But then he remembered all the time that Kyoutani had actually hung up on him and decided maybe he was okay with losing this time.

“No, I’m not. Please don’t stop calling me,” He conceded confidently. 

“Oh, I-” It was pretty worth it to hear Kyoutani speechless. “I won’t.” 

“Good.”

“Besides I still haven’t accomplished my goal of scamming you.” Kyoutani recovered quickly. It made Yahaba want to tease him more.

“You’re really gonna scam your boyfriend?” He was mostly saying it because he wanted to make Kyoutani squirm but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t also trying to make their relationship more clearly defined for the sake of his own mental sanity.

“My boyfriend?” Kyoutani asked incredulously. 

“Yeah, your boyfriend,” Yahaba confirmed.

“I don’t remember ever agreeing to that.” Kyoutani denied, but Yahaba had argued with him enough to know Kyoutani was just messing with him at this point.

“Hmm, then are you saying you don't want to be my boyfriend?” Yahaba smirked at the silence that followed his question.

“...No” Kyoutani finally muttered back.

“That’s what I thought.” Yahaba taunted but on the inside he was freaking out a little. He was actually going out with Kyoutani now.

“I do hate you though,” Kyoutani sneered. 

“Don’t worry,” Yahaba laughed, they might have admitted their feelings but he was glad that hadn’t affected their dynamic “It’s mutual.” 

“Good,” Kyoutani chuckled back. 

Their conversation lulled and Yahaba remembered that he never actually apologized. He got distracted by Kyoutani and you know, the whole confessing their feelings to one another.

“Hey, I didn’t get to say this earlier but I’m sorry too.” He blurted out.

“For what?” 

“In the locker room. I just assumed you got into a fight even though you were just helping your sister and I basically said the team was more important than you and even if I didn’t like you that was a shitty thing to do. So yeah, I’m sorry.” He explained, rubbing the back of his neck. Yahaba really hadn’t meant it like that at all when he said it, he just wanted an excuse to be worried about Kyoutani. 

“Oh yeah, that was shitty,” Kyoutani agreed. Yahaba felt like a dick. “But it’s fine.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah I mean I was kind of an asshole too.” Kyoutani’s voice was softer than Yahaba was used to. It made him feel warm inside. Which, for the record, disgusted Yahaba a little bit.

“True,” He smirked back. 

“Shut up,” Kyoutani chuckled and Yahaba really thought it was one of the best sounds he had ever heard. God, he was weak.

“So we’re okay then?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An actual conversation I had with my sister while writing this chapter:
> 
> Me: How do you write intimacy when you’re scared of it?
> 
> Her: Just pretend you’re someone else, embrace the big D (dissociation).


	18. And They Lived Happily Ever After... or Something

Sunday, May 10th 11:29 am

Kyoutani was suspicious, to say the least. Yuzuki had slept in later than she normally does on Sunday mornings and then taken twice the normal time to get ready. They almost always made it to brunch before 11 am and yet today they were just arriving at 11:30. It was shady.

Okay, Yuzuki being slow wasn’t particularly weird alone, she often was if she spent Saturday night out. But Kyoutani knew she wasn’t hungover because they spent last night watching all three Captain America movies. She was also way too excited. Kyoutani would admit that brunch was often a highlight of his week but there was still an acceptable level of enthusiasm for it and this was definitely past that. 

For fucks sake, she was practically skipping towards the restaurant. 

“What are you planning?” Kyoutani finally asked, stopping a few feet away from the door and forcing her to address him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Ken.” Her words were saying one thing but the stupid smirk she was wearing said the opposite. “Am I not allowed to be happy to be spending this lovely morning with you?” 

“No, you’re not,” He insisted. “It’s weird.” 

She didn’t hesitate to laugh at him.

“Come on, let’s go.” She looped her arm through his, pulling him towards the entrance. “We’re gonna be late.” 

“Late for what?” 

She didn’t answer him.

The first thing Kyoutani noticed when he walked into the restaurant was that their usual table was taken. 

The second thing he noticed was that the person who had taken it was, in fact, his boyfriend. To be specific it was Yahaba, who was his boyfriend now and wow that was still weird to say, and sitting across from him was Yahaba’s grandma. 

The third thing he noticed was that Himari was smiling and waving at them. And Yuzuki was waving back.

“You’re a liar and I hate you,” He seethed quietly enough that it wouldn’t carry through the store.

“You can thank me later.” She started to drag him towards the table. Turning away from her, he looked back to where the other two were seated just in time to see Yahaba look over to them. Kyoutani couldn’t help but smile at how dumbfounded that idiot looked.

Yuzuki abandoned him as soon as they reached the table in favour of throwing her arms around Himari who returned the hug with just as much vigor.

“What is happening?” Kyoutani heard Yahaba mumble across from them. He was very much thinking the same thing.

“We’re having lunch,” Himari stated as if that alone explained everything. 

“With them?” Yahaba’s neck was red. At least enduring what would likely be a Sunday brunch from hell came with the benefit of seeing Yahaba flustered.

“Didn’t I tell you?” She smirked back.

“No, you didn’t.” Yahaba let out an over dramatic sigh and slumped back in his chair.

“Oops.” Himari chuckled.

“Did you know about this?” Yahaba asked, turning to Kyoutani.

He shook his head.

“Oh did I forget to tell you too?” Yuzuki joked from where she was now sitting beside Himari. Kyoutani made sure she caught his eye roll that was far more aggressive than necessary.

Accepting his fate, Kyoutani sat down on the booth beside Yahaba. Himari and Yuzuki were already absorbed into a conversation that Kyoutani wasn’t sure he could have followed even if he wanted to.

“When did they get so chummy?” Yahaba questioned, watching the two women across from them.

“Who knows.” Kyoutani shrugged, watching Yahaba instead, which was a thing he was allowed to do now.

“Well it’s better than them hating each other, I suppose.” Yahaba mused. The little smile that Yahaba had on his face made Kyoutani want to never look away from him.

“Is it really?” He argued, leaning back and stretching his arm across the back of the booth. He tore his eyes away from Yahaba, actually looking at the other two this time. “Them working together might be our downfall.”

“Yeah,” Yahaba laughed. Kyoutani felt Yahaba’s eye fall onto him and turned to meet his gaze. His fluffy hair made him look way more innocent than he was. But Kyoutani kinda loved it anyway. Yahaba grinned at him, shifting closer and leaning back against Kyoutani’s arm before talking again. “Probably,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I actually finished this. 
> 
> Thank you guys all for reading and giving kudos and commenting <3
> 
> I'm definitely kinda sad it's over.


End file.
